Cleaning staff at Stormont 'to be replaced with robots'

Cleaning staff at Stormont face having their hours cut to be replaced by robots, a trade union has warned.

It follows US multinational Aramark being awarded an almost £5million contract to provide catering, cleaning and other services for Parliament Buildings.

The company is proposing to cut 65 hours per week from their cleaning contract "in order to replace workers with robotic cleaners", according to a Nipsa official.

Lisa Mackel described the plans as "extremely concerning".

She told Belfast Live: "The robotification of people's jobs within public sector buildings must be an absolute red line for politicians and decision makers.

"There can be no excuse for profiteering by automating people's roles."

Ms Mackel said Aramark suggested staff affected by the automation could increase their hours through the company's catering and porter duties in the Assembly.

But she warned that if parts of the cleaning roles were "permanently made redundant", there may be "further encroachments" into automating other roles.

Ms Mackel added: "Unless the company offer redundancies at this stage, the total number of staff employed by Aramark at the Assembly is unlikely to reduce as a result of re-deployment of cleaners to catering or porter roles but Nipsa views this as a very serious, potentially wider-ranging policy than simply losing 65 hours per week of physical cleaning."

Aramark was awarded an up to seven-year contract by the Assembly Commission, a Stormont body made up of representatives of the main parties which runs Parliament Buildings.

Nine staff are on zero-hour contracts, the BBC's Nolan Show reported earlier this year.

People Before Profit's Gerry Carroll hit out at the plans to reduce hours for cleaning staff, saying the Assembly Commission "should never have appointed Aramark".

The West Belfast MLA said: "Low-paid workers can ill afford to lose out on work during a cost-of-living crisis and they are seriously worried about further changes to come.

"Cleaning, portering, and catering staff should be employed on a permanent basis and paid a decent wage for the crucial work they do."

The MLA received an anonymous letter warning that cleaning hours were being "drastically" cut, with staff losing a "couple hundred pounds per month" in wages.

The letter warned catering staff could also have their hours reduced, claiming the canteen was introducing "self-service/self-heating appliances for meals".

Mr Carroll added: "I would call on Assembly Commission to urgently intervene to ensure job security for workers at Stormont."

In a statement an Aramark spokeswoman said: "We have begun consultations with affected staff regarding the reallocation of hours.

"We cannot comment further at this time as the consultation is ongoing."

The Assembly was also approached for comment.

Earlier this year, Stormont faced criticism for awarding the contract to Aramark despite the company being accused of providing "substandard" food services for asylum seekers and prisoners.

The firm has come under fire over its catering for refugees and asylum seekers in the Irish Republic, as well as in prisons in the United States.

Alliance MLA Kate Nicholl wrote to the Assembly Commission saying she was "incredibly disappointed".

An Assembly spokeswoman said the commission carries out all its tenders under established public procurement rules and Aramark "provided the best quality/cost bid of all bidders".

Aramark said its teams "work hard every day to provide the best possible service" which is "accredited to internationally audited standards".

READ NEXT:

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.

Already a member? Sign in here