Post by Mitch on Aug 23, 2005 14:21:11 GMT
CLEANING FOR ISS - The beginnings of a diary
Last night I had what ISS Facility Services would call an induction. A little late considering I have been working in this particular cleaning job for about 7 months now.
The induction involved simply signing my name on several forms saying I had received training that I had not, plus doing a ridiculous quiz on COSHH, on which the assistant manager gave me all the answers anyway.
I also discovered that they had the wrong telephone number of the building that I clean, plus they had no records on me put through by the previous manager (who has now been sacked) in their central records, nor on any other cleaner in this particular region.
During my time with ISS Facility Services as a cleaner in several different jobs across nearly two years now, I have seen the hours cut and the hourly rates remain the same.
Introduced lately is a new clocking in system whereby cleaners ring in to long on and log off. In a letter to us cleaners they stated that this was for our health and safety, but this of course is utter b o l l o c k s. It is purely to demonstrate to their contractors that cleaners are doing their time. They are asking cleaners to do more work in less time for the same pay given two years ago, and what's more they are becoming more aggressive in their tactics to control workers.
Also, there has been much confusion over the new logging on system because they sent out confusing information in the letter asking cleaners to put a 9 in front of the number to phone, but inserting a 9 already on the number given. ISS Facility Services is run by idiots.
I have been covering other cleaning jobs across the region recently because I need the money. No training was given to me for different buildings I was cleaning, I was simply given the keys and effectively been doing a supervisory role (supervising myself) but being paid a standard cleaner's rate.
I have never met other ISS cleaners, but I know some of them are not happy at the moment as I get news of this from the assistant manager's occasional visits. I am beginning to think how we might get organised. This will be difficult as we (part-time, and in most cases part-time women workers) face similar problems that many casual workers face, including homeworkers, such as:
We are isolated from each other in different workplaces or in homes.
We need the money, and are vulnerable because losing jobs by challenging could loose us an income we NEED, whether it be the main household income or extra income essential to keep things going.
The main unions are not receptive to helping such workers unless the campaign or fight has wide publicity and involves large numbers of casual workers.
ISS has a strong covert anti-union policy.
There's probably more that I will think of as I go along, but for the time being I thought writing down some of the experiences of the nature of work for ISS, and the slow erosion of pay and conditions by an unscrupulous multi-national would be a good start. ISS, like Gate Gourmet, are a public health hazard to be exposed. I think it's important to talk in detail about what is going on in their workplaces, and their workplaces are many as ISS are increasingly gaining contracts in Catering and Cleaning across both the private and public centre. This is so because they work on a cost cutting basis, offering cheaper contract rates by eroding/stealing pay from workers, reducing the numbers of workers and expecting that reduced number of workers to do the work in less time.
Last night I had what ISS Facility Services would call an induction. A little late considering I have been working in this particular cleaning job for about 7 months now.
The induction involved simply signing my name on several forms saying I had received training that I had not, plus doing a ridiculous quiz on COSHH, on which the assistant manager gave me all the answers anyway.
I also discovered that they had the wrong telephone number of the building that I clean, plus they had no records on me put through by the previous manager (who has now been sacked) in their central records, nor on any other cleaner in this particular region.
During my time with ISS Facility Services as a cleaner in several different jobs across nearly two years now, I have seen the hours cut and the hourly rates remain the same.
Introduced lately is a new clocking in system whereby cleaners ring in to long on and log off. In a letter to us cleaners they stated that this was for our health and safety, but this of course is utter b o l l o c k s. It is purely to demonstrate to their contractors that cleaners are doing their time. They are asking cleaners to do more work in less time for the same pay given two years ago, and what's more they are becoming more aggressive in their tactics to control workers.
Also, there has been much confusion over the new logging on system because they sent out confusing information in the letter asking cleaners to put a 9 in front of the number to phone, but inserting a 9 already on the number given. ISS Facility Services is run by idiots.
I have been covering other cleaning jobs across the region recently because I need the money. No training was given to me for different buildings I was cleaning, I was simply given the keys and effectively been doing a supervisory role (supervising myself) but being paid a standard cleaner's rate.
I have never met other ISS cleaners, but I know some of them are not happy at the moment as I get news of this from the assistant manager's occasional visits. I am beginning to think how we might get organised. This will be difficult as we (part-time, and in most cases part-time women workers) face similar problems that many casual workers face, including homeworkers, such as:
We are isolated from each other in different workplaces or in homes.
We need the money, and are vulnerable because losing jobs by challenging could loose us an income we NEED, whether it be the main household income or extra income essential to keep things going.
The main unions are not receptive to helping such workers unless the campaign or fight has wide publicity and involves large numbers of casual workers.
ISS has a strong covert anti-union policy.
There's probably more that I will think of as I go along, but for the time being I thought writing down some of the experiences of the nature of work for ISS, and the slow erosion of pay and conditions by an unscrupulous multi-national would be a good start. ISS, like Gate Gourmet, are a public health hazard to be exposed. I think it's important to talk in detail about what is going on in their workplaces, and their workplaces are many as ISS are increasingly gaining contracts in Catering and Cleaning across both the private and public centre. This is so because they work on a cost cutting basis, offering cheaper contract rates by eroding/stealing pay from workers, reducing the numbers of workers and expecting that reduced number of workers to do the work in less time.
