Forest School Staff Strike Over Pay Cuts, Snaresbrook 2026

Key Points

• Catering staff and cleaners at Forest School in Snaresbrook, Redbridge, are due to strike next week.
• The dispute concerns proposed pay reductions of up to 13.5 per cent.
• The affected workers are employed by Compass Group UK & Ireland Limited.
• Around 40 Unite members are involved in the planned industrial action.
• Unite says the proposed cuts follow a decision to change the catering and cleaning contract from 52 weeks a year to term time only.
• Under the proposed arrangement, workers would be employed for 45 weeks rather than 52.
• The union claims many affected employees earn only slightly above the minimum wage.
• Unite also says many of the workers do not receive the London Living Wage.
• The union warned that the strike could mean meals are not provided to staff and pupils.
• It also said some areas of the school may not be cleaned during the industrial action.
• The workers include people living in London and Essex, where housing and other living costs remain high.
• Forest School is an independent school in Snaresbrook, in the London Borough of Redbridge.

Snaresbrook (East London Times) September 26, 2026 — Forest School staff are set to take strike action next week after a dispute over proposed changes to their employment arrangements was described by Unite as a plan to cut wages by up to 13.5 per cent.

The workers involved are catering staff and cleaners employed by Compass Group UK & Ireland Limited, rather than directly by Forest School. According to information published by MyLondon, the employees are members of Unite and are expected to walk out in opposition to the proposed reduction in their pay.

Unite said the changes would affect approximately 40 workers at the independent school. The union claims the planned reductions would place additional pressure on employees who are already dealing with high rents and rising household expenses.

The proposed action could affect the day-to-day running of the school. Unite said pupils and staff may not receive meals during the strike, while some parts of the site may not be cleaned.

The union’s account places the dispute within a wider disagreement over how the school’s catering and cleaning services should be organised and paid for. The central issue is a proposed change to the length of the contract, which would reduce the number of weeks for which employees are engaged.

What pay changes are being proposed?

The proposed changes would move the workers from contracts covering 52 weeks of the year to arrangements covering 45 weeks.

The union said the seven-week reduction would mean that staff would no longer be employed throughout the full year. Instead, their work would be limited to the school’s term-time requirements.

Unite says the change would result in pay cuts of as much as 13.5 per cent for some employees. It has described the proposed reductions as unacceptable and referred to the pay arrangements as “disgraceful”.

The precise effect on each worker could vary, depending on their existing terms and conditions, working pattern and earnings. However, the dispute is not limited to a small group of employees in one department. The union says catering workers and cleaners across the relevant services are affected.

The change from 52-week employment to 45-week employment is significant because it reduces the period during which staff are contracted and paid. For employees already earning relatively low wages, the loss of several weeks of employment could have a substantial impact on annual income.

Unite claims that many of the workers earn only just above the minimum wage. It also says many are not paid the London Living Wage, a voluntary rate intended to reflect the cost of living in the capital.

How could the strike affect pupils and staff?

The planned action could affect catering and cleaning services at Forest School.

According to Unite, staff and pupils may not receive meals while the strike is taking place. The union also said that some parts of the school may not be cleaned.

The effect on pupils would depend on the length and timing of the strike, as well as whether the school or contractor makes alternative arrangements. No information in the available reports confirms whether replacement catering, cleaning or other contingency services will be provided.

Catering staff at schools can perform a range of duties, including preparing food, serving meals and maintaining kitchen hygiene. Cleaners are responsible for maintaining areas used by pupils, teachers, support staff and visitors. Any interruption to either service could require the school to alter its normal arrangements.

The strike therefore has the potential to affect pupils and employees beyond those directly involved in the dispute. However, the available information does not establish the exact number of days of industrial action, the areas that would be affected or the school’s response plan.

Who employs the affected workers?

The affected employees are employed by Compass Group UK & Ireland Limited, according to the reports and Unite’s announcement.

Compass Group provides catering and support services to organisations, including educational institutions. At Forest School, the company is responsible for employing the catering and cleaning staff involved in the dispute.

The school’s decision to change the contract arrangements is described as the trigger for the proposed pay reductions. The available reports do not state that the workers are employed directly by Forest School, but identify Compass Group UK & Ireland Limited as their employer.

This distinction is relevant because any negotiations over pay, hours and contract terms would involve the company employing the workers. The school remains directly connected to the dispute because the proposed alteration concerns services delivered at its site.

The information available does not include a detailed response from Compass Group or Forest School to Unite’s claims. It also does not set out the employers’ reasons for proposing the 45-week arrangement.

What has Unite said about the workers’ financial position?

Unite said the proposed cuts would increase financial pressure on workers living in London and Essex.

The union’s argument is that the reduction would come at a time when employees face high rents and other living costs. It said many of the affected workers earn just above the minimum wage and do not receive the London Living Wage.

The union’s position is that a reduction in annual pay would be particularly difficult for employees whose wages are already close to the legal minimum. The seven-week reduction in contracted employment could affect household budgets, transport costs, rent payments and other regular expenses.

Unite has not presented the proposed changes as a routine adjustment to working patterns. Instead, it has linked the dispute to wider concerns about low pay and affordability for workers based in and around London.

The union’s description represents its position in the dispute. The available reports do not include a detailed counterargument from Compass Group or Forest School about the affordability of the existing arrangement, the proposed contract structure or the level of pay offered to the employees.

When is the strike expected to take place?

The strike is expected to take place next week, based on the reports published on 25 September 2026.

The available information does not provide a complete timetable of strike dates or state how long the action will last. It also does not confirm whether further walkouts have been scheduled if the dispute is not resolved.

Industrial action can be changed or cancelled if negotiations produce an agreement. Equally, a dispute can continue if the parties fail to reach a settlement.

The next stage is therefore likely to depend on discussions between Unite and the employer, together with any decisions made by Forest School regarding the provision of catering and cleaning services during the proposed strike.

What is known about Forest School?

Forest School is an independent school in Snaresbrook, Redbridge, East London.

The dispute concerns its catering and cleaning services, which are operated by workers employed by Compass Group UK & Ireland Limited. The action is not described as a strike by teachers or other teaching staff.

The reports identify the affected employees as catering staff and cleaners. The available information does not indicate that lessons are directly subject to industrial action, although the withdrawal of meals and cleaning services could create operational difficulties for the school.

Forest School’s location in Snaresbrook places the dispute within the Redbridge area. The workers themselves are said by Unite to live in London and Essex, meaning the financial effects of the proposed changes could extend beyond the immediate school site.

No claim has been made in the available reports that pupils’ education will be cancelled. The reported potential effects relate specifically to meals and cleaning.

What are the main points in the employment dispute?

The dispute has three central elements.

First, the contract would change from 52 weeks a year to 45 weeks. This would reduce the period during which the affected staff are employed.

Second, Unite says the change would lead to pay cuts of up to 13.5 per cent. The union argues that the reduction would affect people who are already on low wages.

Third, the union says the proposed arrangements do not provide many workers with the London Living Wage. It argues that the combination of low pay, reduced employment and high living costs has left employees with little choice but to take industrial action.

The employer’s detailed position has not been included in the available reports. As a result, the reasons for the proposed contract change and any alternative offer made to staff remain unclear.

What could happen before the strike?

The action could still be affected by negotiations between Unite and Compass Group.

If the company and the union reach an agreement, the strike could be suspended or cancelled. Any settlement could address the proposed length of the contract, the level of pay, the timing of employment and whether workers receive compensation or protection against the reduction.

If no agreement is reached, the workers could proceed with the planned action. The school may then need to communicate with families and staff about meals, cleaning and any changes to normal arrangements.

The available reports do not confirm whether talks are under way, whether formal negotiations have been scheduled or whether Forest School has issued a public response.

Background to the contract dispute

The proposed industrial action follows a plan to change the catering and cleaning workers’ contracts from 52 weeks per year to 45 weeks.

The employees are members of Unite and work for Compass Group UK & Ireland Limited at Forest School in Snaresbrook. Unite says the change would cut pay by up to 13.5 per cent and would affect around 40 workers.

The union has also stated that many of the employees earn only slightly more than the minimum wage and are not paid the London Living Wage. It says the workers are facing additional financial difficulties because many live in London and Essex, areas where housing and other household costs can be high.

The reports available for this article do not include a detailed response from Compass Group or Forest School. They also do not provide the full proposed contract, a complete list of strike dates or details of any negotiations.

Prediction: how could the dispute affect pupils, parents and staff?

If the strike goes ahead, pupils and parents may experience disruption to school catering, while staff may face changes to workplace routines. The most immediate reported effects are the possible absence of meals and reduced cleaning in some areas of the school.

The impact on pupils would depend on the duration of the action and the contingency measures arranged by Forest School or Compass Group. A short strike could cause temporary inconvenience, while prolonged action could require more extensive changes to meal provision and site management.

For the affected workers, the dispute could determine whether their employment remains based on 52 weeks a year or moves to a 45-week term-time arrangement. If the proposed change is implemented, employees could face lower annual earnings. If negotiations produce a revised agreement, the final effect may be less severe than the reduction described by Unite.