Mexico City Cleaners Fight for a Better Life
Angela Olvera Coba, a cleaner in downtown Mexico City, tells her story about life as a cleaner in one of Mexico City’s downtown buildings. Angela described her situation which is similar to that of many other cleaners—long hours of work (in addition to a commute that is often 2 hours at the beginning and the again at the end of the workday). A lack of protective gloves or safety information about chemicals used in cleaning. The low pay that she and others receive—often below the minimum standards required under Mexican law. She also spoke about the failure of employers to pay the required pension contributions, a lack of healthcare benefits and how she and others often have no choice but to work until they are in their 70s and 80s, and are physically unable to work any longer. Then, they are left to rely on their children or other family members to survive when they retire. Most of these workers only earn a few hundred $US per month. Angela also spoke about the prevalence of sexual harassment that women, who dominate this occupation, face on a regular basis.
The Fundacion en Pro de la Educacion Sindical has been working with UNI Property Services to promote a “Know your Rights Campaign” to educate cleaners about their legal rights concerning pay, overtime benefits and labor laws concerning pensions, sexual harassment and the right to organise. Additionally, the Fundacion has worked extensively to create a more transparent public bidding process for government cleaning contracts. Too often, these contracts clearly undercut workers’ legal entitlements but are sold off for private gain. T
The Fundacion’s Executive Director, Mariana Morales, and UNI Property Services Head of Department, Alice Dale, met with the Secretary of Labor for Mexico City DF, Patricia Mercado, on April 1 to discuss the underpayment of workers who provide contract cleaning services for different city departments. Ms. Mercado, who has a strong record of supporting workers’ rights, committed to working with the Fundacion and UNI to investigate these problems and to correct these injustices.