Pressure mounts on City Sprint as IWGB continues to target its clients

Pressure mounted on City Sprint on Wednesday as the courier’s branch of the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) returned once again to City Sprint’s London offices, before protesting one of the firm’s biggest clients as part of the campaign to win the London Living Wage.

The protest began at 8.00am, with couriers and union officials alike assembled outside City Sprint’s offices in Central London, before moving off to stage a flash indoor protest at one of the City’s leading law firms- Linklaters. The protestors demanded that Linklaters, an accredited Living wage firm, take a public stance against City Sprint’s exploitative practices.

City Sprint, a leading same day dispatch firm who was recently revealed to be making millions through tax avoidance, barely pays its workers the minimum wage of just £6.50 an hour. Such rates are well below the London Living Wage, which, at £9.15 ph, has been agreed upon by those across the political spectrum as the minimum required to prevent individuals from living in poverty.

Jon, a member of the Couriers and Logistic Branch at the IWGB, stated: ‘[being a courier] is a skilled job and it’s dangerous but City Sprint hasn’t raised its rates in 15+ years. A living wage and reasonable costs is the bare minimum we need to survive’.

The demonstration by the IWGB is the latest in a long line of industrial action against the firm. The move comes after previous protests at the company’s other high profile clients, such as Google and the Guardian. The campaign has been gathering increasing media attention, with coverage from BBC, Vice and London Review of Books blog, as well as high ranking politicians, such as Natalie Bennett, speaking out to support the couriers.

Under the weight of increasingly bad publicity, City Sprint have begun to make movements towards paying fair wages. The IWGB are currently awaiting confirmation that the same-day dispatch company has axed the £1.25 delivery rates. However, these movements are not far enough, as City Sprint’s workers are still forced to live on poverty wages. Maggie Dewhurst , speaking at the protest, stated: ‘ [It’s] made a mockery of the living wage accreditation, You need to take responsibility…Make sure your outsourced workers are paid a living wage.”