News
Calls for Investigation into Use of Unpaid Jubilee Stewards
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June 6, 2012 The Fresh Outlook  |
Unemployed people who were used as jubilee stewards had to sleep under London Bridge before the river pageant on Sunday.
The firm Close Protection UK (CPUK) has issued “sincere apologies” for the “London Bridge incident” but insisted that they had provided individuals with work experience, but Labour peer Lord Prescott has called for the government to investigate.
30 jobseekers and 50 people on apprentice wages were taken up to London by coach from Bath, Plymouth and Bristol for the Pageant on Sunday as part of the government’s work programme.
Two jobseekers who did not want to be identified told the Guardian they had to camp under London Bridge over night and that they had no access to toilets for 24 hours. They were then taken to a swampy campsite outside London after working a 14-hour shift in the pouring rain on the banks of the Thames on Sunday.
Lord Prescott said the company had shown a “blatant disregard for the care of its workers”.
On Tuesday, Molly Prince, the managing director of CPUK, reconfirmed that a number of staff were unpaid but apologised for the fact that a number of their stewards had to sleep under London Bridge.
Ms Prince stated that the majority of the team were happy, fed and looked after in the best way possible under the circumstances. However, she will speak to every individual to gain feedback about the event.
By Talia Rose Hughes
[Image courtesy of jutlander]
