Migrant workers at Harrods push back against new leave restrictions
Affected workers call it discriminatory and turn to the UVW union, which plans to announce strike dates soon.
By Moiz SaifuddinJul 31, 2024
MIGRANT night cleaners at luxury department store Harrods have been forced to reconsider their holiday plans due to new leave guidelines that restrict their ability to take extended time off to visit family overseas.
In June, workers received guidelines limiting holidays to a maximum of two weeks, leaving many scrambling to cancel or change their plans. Clive Furtado, a night cleaner for more than 11 years, told Eastern Eye, “I was planning to go back home with my wife and two children, but two weeks is not enough for us. It takes us three to four days just to travel. Spending that kind of money for only two weeks and then returning is quite a lot.”
The new guidelines have primarily affected Indian and Filipino workers, who, according to Furtado, make up 88 per cent of the night shift workforce and nearly 60 per cent of the day shift workers. The night shift comprises 51 workers, while the day shift has more than 150.
The affected workers have asked the United Voices of the World (UVW), a union supporting under-represented sections, to send a Notice of Intention to Ballot (NOIB) to Harrods, with strike dates expected to be announced soon.
In a statement, UVW said: “This sudden and unjust change has particularly impacted the diverse workforce of cleaners, most of whom hail from Asia and Africa, including places as far as Goa and the Philippines. These employees often save for several years to travel long distances to visit their families. They are not able to take several shorter trips in a year.”
A Harrods policy document relating to the company’s guidelines on holidays and birthdays, which was updated in May, was passed on to Eastern Eye. The ‘extended leave’ clause states: “You can take up to three weeks’ holiday at any one time, provided you have enough entitlement. If you wish to take more than this, you will need to apply for extended leave.”
Agnelo Fernandez, who has worked at Harrods for a decade, told Eastern Eye that although his four-week holiday for November this year had already been approved, he is now unsure of going ahead with his travel plans. "My wife is worried about the money we will lose if they decline our holidays for this year. If I have to change my tickets and purchase new ones, I will lose £2,500. We work so hard, and if we lose this money – which is two months’ salary – it will be difficult to pay the bills. They have sufficient staff, but I don't know why they are always declining holidays," he said.
In a written statement, Maclino Rodrigues, a night cleaner of eight years, said: “I am a migrant worker with two children. Our families are in India, and traveling there is not easy. The ticket prices are so high during the children’s school holidays. We can’t leave them here. I haven’t seen my family for three years. We explained all of this, and I was very surprised that their response was ‘we have to take care of our business, we don’t care’.”
Edwin D’Souza, another night cleaner, said he had plans to attend his niece’s wedding. He got approval in March from his manager for his three weeks’ holiday and booked tickets for himself and his three children. However, the new guidelines mean his plans are now in disarray, as changing the dates can cost up to £700 per ticket. "I asked my manager, ‘Will the company pay this?’ and he said it’s not their problem. When I showed them the tickets, the manager said, ‘You have to do me a favor and cancel the leave.’ I said, ‘Why don’t you do me a favor?’ He just shook his head. This made me feel angry,” D’Souza said.
In an email statement, Harrods said: “We continue to work with colleagues on an individual basis and encourage those who have concerns about their holiday or are unable to take holidays to speak to their manager.”
Petros Elia, general secretary of UVW, said: “This appears to be a clear case of discrimination against migrant workers, who have always been able to take extended holidays to visit their families. The story of these cleaners highlights a broader issue of how a multimillion-pound company for the wealthy is undermining the welfare of its migrant workforce, an all-too-common occurrence.”
Harrods stated that there had been no introduction of a new policy regarding holidays and that it only clarified existing company policy, which limits holiday length during peak periods. “This is to ensure holidays are taken fairly and consistently across the team, as well as ensuring the business can continue to operate during its busiest periods,” they said.
Rodrigues said: “They say these changes are supposed to provide cover for the peak periods, but we are behind-the-scenes; the daytime cleaners face the customers. We work in the restaurant and on the escalators; we sweep, remove the trash, and make everything ready for the next day. I feel like they are introducing these changes because they want to get rid of us or reduce staff.”
Responding to Harrods, a UVW spokesperson said the new guidance issued in June directly contradicts the policy on extended leave updated in May. "It is not fair on our members. The new policy denies them the ability to visit their families.”
Harrods said it cooperates with the union that represents colleagues within its store services division, but it does not recognise UVW and therefore does not engage with the organisation on policy matters. Furtado said Harrods recognises the Unite union. He said all 51 night shift workers are signed up with UVW, and that day shift workers are also expected to join the group.
In a statement, UVW said this was its fourth campaign to defend workers' rights at the store.
Jyoti Malhotra, a 33-year-old travel vlogger from Haryana, India, has been arrested on charges of espionage for allegedly sharing sensitive information with Pakistani intelligence operatives. The arrest, made by Haryana Police, is part of a broader investigation into suspected espionage activities linked to Pakistan.
Background and arrest
Malhotra, known for her YouTube channel Travel with JO, which boasts over 385,000 subscribers, had documented her travels across various countries, including Pakistan, China, and several others. Authorities allege that she maintained regular contact with Pakistani intelligence operatives and shared sensitive information via platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Snapchat.
Her arrest follows the expulsion of a Pakistani High Commission official from India earlier this month, with whom Malhotra was allegedly in contact. The official was expelled for activities “not in keeping with his official status in India.”
Alleged activities and investigations
Investigators suggest that Malhotra visited Pakistan multiple times, including a trip in March 2025, shortly before a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians. Authorities are probing potential links between her visits and the attack.
Further scrutiny has been directed at her associations with other individuals, including a Puri-based YouTuber, Priyanka Senapati, known for her religious and temple tour vlogs. Senapati had accompanied Malhotra to the Jagannath Temple in September 2024 and later travelled to Kartarpur, Pakistan. While Senapati has denied any knowledge of Malhotra’s alleged espionage activities, authorities are investigating their connection.
- YouTubeYouTube/ News18
Broader implications
Malhotra’s arrest is part of a wider crackdown on suspected espionage networks operating within India. Authorities have detained several individuals across states such as Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat for alleged spying activities linked to Pakistan. These arrests come amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, following military operations and a subsequent ceasefire agreement in early May 2025.
The case has also raised concerns about the potential exploitation of digital platforms and social media influencers for espionage purposes. Malhotra’s substantial online following and international travels have prompted authorities to assess the role of digital content creators in matters of national security.
Legal proceedings
Malhotra has been charged under relevant sections of the Official Secrets Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Her social media accounts, including Instagram, have been suspended following her arrest. The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities continuing to examine her communications and associations to determine the full extent of the alleged espionage.
The Indian government has reiterated its commitment to safeguarding national security and has urged vigilance in the digital era, particularly with the growing influence of online platforms and cross-border engagements.
AT LEAST 17 people died in a fire that broke out in a building in the Indian city of Hyderabad, officials said on Sunday.
The blaze started early Sunday morning in a three-storey building that houses a jewellery store.
According to a statement from the fire disaster response emergency and civil defence department in Telangana state, the call for help came in just after 6 am local time (00:30 GMT).
"The fire broke out on the ground floor and spread to the upper floors. Firefighting, search & rescue operations were carried out simultaneously," the statement said.
It also listed the names of the 17 individuals who died.
"The suspected cause of the fire is under investigation," it added.
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi expressed his "deep grief" over the incident and announced compensation of 200,000 rupees (around $2,300) for the next of kin of each victim.
"Deeply anguished by the loss of lives due to a fire tragedy in Hyderabad, Telangana," Modi said in a statement released by his office.
"Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon."
Fires are frequent in India due to weak enforcement of safety regulations, overcrowded buildings and poor construction practices.
Last month, a fire at a hotel in Kolkata killed at least 15 people. Some people escaped by climbing out of windows and onto the roof.
In a separate incident last year, at least 24 people died when a fire broke out at an amusement park arcade in the western state of Gujarat.
(With inputs from AFP)
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Nandy became culture secretary after Labour’s election win, following the loss of shadow culture secretary Baroness Debbonaire’s seat.. (Photo: Getty Images)
LISA NANDY’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) may be scrapped under plans being considered by Downing Street as part of a broader civil service efficiency drive. The move would end 33 years of a standalone department for arts and cultural matters and place Nandy’s Cabinet future in doubt.
The government is exploring reallocating DCMS policy briefs to other departments, which could result in job cuts. Cultural and arts issues may be transferred to the Communities Department, and media matters to the Business Department, The Telegraph has reported. Responsibility for the BBC licence fee remains undecided.
No final decision has been made, but formal advice on the department’s closure had been prepared for prime minister Keir Starmer’s March 13 speech, where he announced plans to abolish NHS England and reduce bureaucracy. The announcement was not made then but The Telegraph understands that there remains interest in taking the move in Number 10. Starmer has pledged to streamline the Civil Service, cut running costs by 15 per cent, and move roles outside London.
DCMS was created by prime minister John Major’s government in 1992 as the Department of National Heritage and helped oversee the launch of the National Lottery. In 2023, the department lost oversight of online safety rules to the newly formed Science, Innovation and Technology Department.
Nandy became culture secretary after Labour’s election win, following the loss of shadow culture secretary Baroness Debbonaire’s seat. Her future, along with ministers Sir Chris Bryant, Stephanie Peacock, and Baroness Twycross, is uncertain if the department is closed.
A Downing Street source told The Telegraph, “It is about a lean and agile state. It is not about individuals or reshuffles.”
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Migrants swim to board a smugglers' boat in order to attempt crossing the English channel off the beach of Audresselles, northern France on October 25, 2024.
A PERSON has died after a small overloaded boat sank while attempting to cross the English Channel, according to French authorities.
The incident occurred overnight from Sunday to Monday, and 62 people were rescued from the water, the Maritime Prefect of the Channel and the North Sea said.
A French Navy helicopter spotted an unconscious person in the water. The individual was later declared dead by the medical team on board a French assistance and rescue intervention tug, French authorities said.
A mother and her baby suffering from hypothermia were taken to hospital in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France. The French tug rescued 50 people, the RNLI rescued two, and the Border Force Ranger recovered nine people, the BBC reported.
The remaining rescued individuals were taken to Boulogne-sur-Mer quay and handed over to land rescue services.
A migrant also died in a Channel crossing attempt in April.
More than 12,500 people have crossed the Channel on small boats so far in 2025. April's crossings were 42 per cent higher than in 2024 and 81 per cent higher than in 2023, BBC reported.
Home Office figures show this is the highest January–April total since records began in 2018.
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Large size has drawn attention from across the industry
UK growers are reporting a bumper crop of unusually large strawberries this spring, thanks to a spell of bright sunshine and cool nights that has created near-perfect growing conditions. However, as the dry weather continues, experts are warning that water shortages could pose a risk to future harvests.
According to Bartosz Pinkosz, operations director at the Summer Berry Company, strawberry plants have benefited significantly from this year’s weather pattern. “We had the darkest January and February since the 1970s, but then the brightest March and April since 1910,” he said. “From March onwards, it was really kind of perfect for tunnel strawberries.”
The company, which grows fruit at its farm in Colworth, West Sussex, supplies major UK retailers. Pinkosz said the strawberries being harvested this month are consistently larger than average, with some weighing as much as 50g – around the size of a plum or even a kiwi. The average size this season is approximately 30g, still well above the norm.
He explained that the combination of abundant sunshine and cool night temperatures had slowed the ripening process, allowing more time for the fruit to develop. “The slower the development of the fruits, the more time to expand the cells and create the bigger berry,” he said. “I have genuinely never seen a harvest produce such large berries consistently in my 19 years of working in this field.”
The UK strawberries' large size has drawn attention from across the industry. Nick Marston, chair of British Berry Growers, confirmed that this year’s crop is showing excellent quality across several key characteristics. “We’re seeing very good size, shape, appearance, and most of all, really great flavour and sugar content, which is what consumers want when they buy British strawberries,” he said.
Marston cautioned that while reports of strawberries being 20% bigger are accurate for some growers, averages across the country may vary. “Some crops will be slightly smaller than others, but it would be fair to say that the very nice sunshine and cool overnight temperatures have been ideal for fruit development,” he added.
Strawberries being 20% bigger are accurate for some growersGetty
The season's early warmth also led to gluts of aubergines and tomatoes at the start of May. However, with continued dry conditions, concern is growing among farmers about the possibility of a summer drought, especially in the south-east of England. Marston acknowledged the risk but noted that strawberry crops generally use water-efficient drip irrigation systems. “Water is used very sparingly,” he said.
Despite the potential challenges, this season’s UK strawberries have started strong, and the signs are positive ahead of the summer. With Wimbledon on the horizon in June, British tennis fans may once again be treated to large, juicy strawberries during the tournament – a popular seasonal tradition.
The consistently warmer spring and its effects on UK strawberries' large size have been welcomed by consumers and retailers alike. Yet growers remain alert to the challenges posed by climate change and the importance of sustainable water management.
As the strawberry season progresses, the industry is watching closely to see whether the favourable conditions can be maintained. While the current outlook for size and flavour is positive, the warning about water supply highlights the delicate balance required to maintain crop health and quality in the months ahead.