Officials from the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions have been called in to mediate a dispute between a company contracted to clean its Dublin offices and six Irish cleaning ladies who claim they have been sacked and replaced by a group of Lithuanian workers.

The women had been cleaning the offices of the European Foundation, based in Loughlinstown, Co Dublin, for between nine and 18 years under various sub-contractors.

However, the group are claiming that working conditions deteriorated once the contract to clean the EU-funded complex was awarded to AFM Ireland by the Foundation through facilities management company Vector in January 2006.

"The problems began practically from day one," said Brigid Tressan, one of the cleaners. "AFM brought in faulty equipment. Wages and holiday pay were often wrong and they refused to deduct union fees.

"The final straw came about three months ago when they [AFM] changed the cleaning chemicals and a number of the ladies started coming down with chest infections and other health problems. One of the women had to be put on a nebuliser."

According to the women, who have been protesting outside the building entrance every evening for two weeks, repeated requests that Blanchardstown-based AFM Ireland deal with their grievances were ignored.

The six claim that on Friday 17 September a senior AFM staff member informed them they no longer worked for the company. Four Lithuanian nationals took up their positions the following week.

Hugh Lewis, a spokesperson for the People Before Profit Alliance, which has been aiding the women, said they have not yet sought recourse through the legal system: "The ideal solution isn't through the labour courts. These women just want their jobs back; although not under the deteriorating conditions."

AFM Ireland, meanwhile, claims the women left of their own accord. "They gave in verbal notice and left our employment," said Paul Higgins, the company's director. "I don't know what the campaign is about. I'm absolutely baffled."

Mäns Markenson, the European Foundation's press officer, told the Sunday Tribune that the organisation's financial regulations stipulate all contracts must be put out to tender to secure value for money.