NEWS
INDUSTRY TASKFORCE UNVEILS CAMPAIGN TO IMPROVE THE WORKING
CONDITIONS OF CLEANERS A campaign to promote good working conditions in the cleaning industry has been launched by an industry-led taskforce set up by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
The taskforce, chaired by EHRC Deputy Chair Caroline Waters, featured leading businesses, trade associations and trade unions, including the BCC, BICSc and BIFM.
The Commission convened the taskforce following publication of its report ‘The Invisible Workforce: Employment Practices in the Cleaning Sector’ last year. This set out findings on employment practices in the commercial cleaning sector in England, Scotland and Wales.
The report found many examples of good practice. These included cleaning firms with policies in place to promote equality and also clients who enter into longer-term contracts. These help firms to build positive relationships with suppliers and also encourage
FACILICOM PROUD TO PLAY PART IN EHRC WAKE-UP CALL ON
‘HIDDEN WORKFORCE’ Facilicom UK has played a key role representing the contract cleaning sector as part of the European Human Rights Commission (EHRC) Cleaning Taskforce, which has launched a campaign to improve the working conditions of those employed in the industry.
Facilicom has committed to improving the conditions in which cleaning operatives are expected to work by endorsing the EHRC’s pledge. They will do this by promoting employers compliance with employment law and improving workers understanding of employment rights, improving the
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investment in workforce development, leading to greater job stability.
However, the report also found that some employers did not provide contracts to staff. Further, some failed to pay their employees in full, or to pay sickness or holiday leave entitlements.
This employee made the shopping centre a healthier place. But no one noticed.
To solve these problems the taskforce developed principles for responsible procurement. The purpose of this is to encourage clients who buy in cleaning services to consider the impact of procurement on the employment practices of cleaning providers. The taskforce also developed a poster to highlight the value of cleaning operatives, and ‘Your Rights at Work’ postcards for cleaning firms to send to their employees explaining their employment rights.
Cleaners. Rarely noticed. Yet they contribute so much to the health and wellbeing of staff and customers by helping to create a clean and hazard free environment.
Cleaners. #seethetruevalue
equalityhumanrights.com/seethetruevalue
Caroline Waters, Equality and Human Rights Commissioner and taskforce Chairwoman said: “The Commission’s role is to promote and enforce the laws that protect our rights to fairness, dignity and respect. It has been a great privilege to have worked over the past year or so with so many people who are committed to improving the working conditions of cleaning operatives.
“It is fantastic that taskforce members drawn from across business,
industry, trade associations, government, voluntary bodies and trade unions have come together with their thoughts, ideas and energy, and with a real appetite for tackling the problems our original report revealed.
“We very much hope the tools we have now produced will help to bring real and lasting change for commercial cleaning operatives.”
All of the materials are available to download on the Commission’s website here.
“We are extremely proud to endorse the work of the EHRC’s Cleaning Taskforce and equally pleased to have contributed to the Working Group for Dignity & Respect” said Phil Smith, Corporate Relationship Director at Facilicom. “The Commission’s commitment to improving working conditions for the nation’s ‘hidden workforce’ is not only driving a step- change in best practice for cleaning employers but is also crucially delivering a wake-up call to everyone to take notice of, and respect, those who keep our world clean.
impact of public and private sector procurement of cleaning services on employment conditions in the sector, and encouraging the respectful treatment of cleaning operatives.
“Most importantly, its work – and that of the Cleaning Taskforce specifically – is making a real difference to people’s lives. It is bringing happiness to a tough job and bringing safety and job satisfaction to a group of people who so richly deserve it.”
www.facilicom.co.uk Tomorrow’s Cleaning November 2015 | 7
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