News

UNI Property Services affiliates across the globe engaged in coordinated actions calling for respect for cleaners -- recognition for their work, better pay and improved working conditions – to mark International Justice Day on Monday. Unions in Australia, throughout Europe, in Hong Kong, India and the United States participated at over 35 airports, city centres and major railway stations. In many countries, airline passengers were offered with a flower and asked to give it to a cleaner at their airport of destination as a sign of appreciation for their work.



The UNI Property Services ISS trade union alliance took the lead this year to dedicate International Justice Day as a call for “more respect for cleaners”. The next step in this campaign will be to sign cleaning companies onto the “Cleaners Charter” which calls for public and private contract procurement rules which ensure improved working conditions, reasonable workloads, adequate training and equipment. Fundamental to these demands is respecting cleaners and the work they do



"Property services workers, including cleaners at some of the largest and busiest airports in the world, too often work in the shadows without recognition or appreciation for the important work they do everyday to keep facilities clean and fit for purpose. International Justice Day successfully promoted the work of cleaners and security guards, highlighting the importance of their work and their right to be treated with dignity and respect on the job," said UNI Global Union General Secretary, Philip Jennings.



These actions coincided with major labour disputes and strikes. In Sweden, collective bargaining negotiations broke off because employers were unwilling to extend the same pay increase to cleaners that they were willing to pay workers in other sectors of the workforce. In the UK, International Justice Day was an important opportunity to raise the unions’ demand that cleaners deserve to earn a living wage.



All pictures and press coverage have been uploaded on a dedicated Facebook page which reached more than 6 000 people in two days.



https://www.facebook.com/InternationalJusticeDayForCleaners1762013