DRIVERS and street cleaners in a Tory London borough will start a two-day strike today in protest at “modern-day slavery.”

Their union GMB says Wandsworth Council’s contractor Continental Landscapes has held down pay at poverty levels in spite of massive profits.

GMB says the firm’s operating profit rose by a quarter last year to £2.5 million, and directors have taken home £1.8m in bonuses in the last five years.

“The directors of Continental Landscapes are simply promoting modern-day slavery within Wandsworth and yet the council show no interest and appear to be happy to see the staff earning so little,” the union’s southern region officer Paul Grafton said.

“GMB members employed by Continental Landscapes undertake significant manual work for a pittance of £7.50 an hour, leaving some staff struggling to pay for the most basic of needs. Yet the directors swan around in their luxury cars and relax in their plush homes in the UK and France.

“Since Continental Landscapes have taken on the [Wandsworth] contract, the staff have suffered — not only in having their hours slashed but also the rates of overtime reduced at weekends and evenings.”

Picketing will start from 6am outside Continental Landscapes Ltd’s headquarters at Battersea Boat Yard, The Causeway, today and tomorrow.

Workers will also demonstrate outside Wandsworth Town Hall from 9am today.

Wandsworth Council did not comment on whether it will take action against its contractors but claimed that it was a matter between Continental Landscapes and its workforce.

Continental Landscapes was unavailable for comment.