EXCLUSIVE: stewards vent fury at Olympic Stadium

Hundreds of stewards who are essential to the successful running of match days have been told they will have to reapply for their jobs next season when the club moves to the Olympic Stadium!

Currently, all match day stewarding is controlled by the club. But with the Irons due to quit the Boleyn for the new, state-of-the-art Olympic Stadium, the club has been informed specialist company, OCS, will now have overall responsibility for stewarding – and all current Hammers stewards will be required to reapply for their jobs.

OCS customers currently include Wembley and the Emirates.

ClaretandHugh has learned West Ham stewards have recently received a letter telling them they must submit an application form and attend an interview with OCS if they want to continue to steward for West Ham matches next season.

We understand there is no automatic transfer of employment rights as the vast majority of stewards are employed on a casual, short-term contract basis.

Understandably a number of current Irons stewards are unhappy with the situation – with some suggesting their terms and conditions will change significantly.

They claim they will lose a string of perks (including free food and soft drinks) – and they’ll also lose  the increased pay rates they receive for working on Sundays and Bank Holidays. In addition, stewards will not be able to have a say in the areas of the ground they work in.

One steward, who asked not to be named, told ClaretandHugh: “I am not happy but I will give it one season in the Olympic Stadium because I love West Ham, they are my family.”

OCS was founded 115 years ago as a window cleaning company called New Century Window and General Cleaning Company. In recent years, it changed its name to Outsourced Client Solutions. It employs 60,000 people globally.