By Jonathan Ames, Legal Editor
An upscale law firm that earns £46 million annually has been accused of having a cleaner sacked for eating a leftover sandwich while tidying a meeting room.
Gabriela Rodriguez is said to have been fired from Devonshires in London for the ‘theft’ of a tuna sandwich.
Supporters have rallied around the cleaner, named as as Gabriela, after she was fired.
The cleaner, a single mother from Ecuador, has launched an employment claim after having worked for an agency that was contracted to Devonshires, a corporate law firm in the Square Mile.
Representatives of the United Voices of the World, a union which supports migrant workers, said that the she was sacked just before Christmas after working at the firm for two years. The cleaner, referred to as Gabriela, was said to have been fired for the “theft” of a tuna sandwich, “which was left over from a lawyers’ meeting, and was due to be discarded.”
According to the legal news website, RollOnFriday, which first reported the dispute, the sacked cleaner has submitted an employment tribunal claim, but union officials have pointed out that proceedings “can take years to conclude and she needs a job and an income now”.
Devonshires, which recorded a pre-tax profit last year of nearly £21 million, describes itself as “a law firm with personality”. Its partners have distanced the firm from the decision, claiming that it was purely a matter for its cleaner contractor.
The Times understands that the firm had contacted bosses at the company, Total Clean, to complain that leftover sandwiches from meetings were not being returned. Sources close to the firm have also suggested that the sandwich that triggered the incident was egg and not tuna.
In its social media campaign over the incident, the union claimed that the value of the sandwich was no more than £1.50 and that “sacking cleaners on ridiculous grounds like this — treating them like the dirt they clean — is not uncommon though is always outrageous”. Officials said that the union was “taking the case to court but that takes time”.
A spokesman for Devonshires said that the firm had not made a “formal” complaint against the cleaner and had “expressly told Total Clean not to take any [action] against her”.
He added that the cleaning contractor had conducted its own investigation and that the decision to sack the cleaner “was taken without any input or influence from Devonshires whatsoever”.
“We have made clear to Total Clean that we would not object, as we never have done, to Gabriela attending and working on our premises if Total Clean changes its position,” he said.
In a statement, Total Clean said that it was “to maintain the integrity of our workforce and service by ensuring we deal appropriately with any actions that undermine the hard work and reputation of our incredible team who conduct themselves impeccably. Trust and honesty is of paramount importance”.
The company added that “all steps taken have been in accordance with UK employment law following the proper investigative and disciplinary process”.
Report by The Times UK
