Coming clean: 
      the experience of cleaning operatives 
        Wendy Sykes, Carola Groom, Philly Desai
              and John Kelly
           Independent Social Research
      © Equality and Human Rights Commission 2014
      First published Summer 2014
      ISBN 978-1-84206-512-9
      Equality and Human Rights Commission Research 
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               Contents
               Acknowledgements                                                                      iv
               Executive summary                                                                     v
               1.   Introduction                                                                     1
                 1.1      The report                                                                 1
                 1.2      Purpose of the research                                                    1
                 1.3      Background to the research                                                 2
                 1.4      The non-domestic cleaning industry                                         2
                 1.5      Research method                                                            3
                 1.6      Structure of the report                                                    5
               2.   The job and the workers                                                          7
                 2.1      Introduction                                                               7
                 2.2      The employers and the job                                                  7
                 2.3      The workforce                                                              8
                 2.4      Types of contract and hours                                               12
                 2.5      Routes into cleaning jobs                                                 15
                 2.6      Attitudes to cleaning                                                     16
                 2.7      Awareness of and attitudes towards ‘rights’ at work                       16
                 2.8      Summary                                                                   17
               3.   Pay and remuneration                                                            18
                 3.1      Introduction                                                              18
                 3.2      Rates of pay                                                              18
                 3.3      Low pay                                                                   19
                 3.4      Worsening conditions of pay                                               21
                 3.5      Fair treatment                                                            22
                 3.6      Getting paid                                                              23
                 3.7      Summary                                                                   25
               4.   Rest, leisure and sickness                                                      27
                 4.1      Introduction                                                              27
                 4.2      Breaks at work                                                            27
                                                            i
                4.3     Holidays                                                           27
                4.4     Sick leave                                                         28
                4.5     Summary                                                            30
             5.    Training, health, safety and security                                   32
                5.1     Introduction                                                       32
                5.2     Training and professional development                              32
                5.3     Health and safety at work                                          34
                5.4     Pregnancy                                                          37
                5.5     Security                                                           38
                5.6     Summary                                                            39
             6.    Supervision and management                                              42
                6.1     Introduction                                                       42
                6.2     Supervision and management structures                              42
                6.3     The significance of supervisors                                    43
                6.4     Summary                                                            48
             7.    Grievance and redress                                                   50
                7.1     Introduction                                                       50
                7.2     Grievances                                                         50
                7.3     Redress                                                            51
                7.4     Other options and channels for help                                52
                7.5     Inhibiting factors                                                 53
                7.6     Summary                                                            56
             8.    Dignity and respect                                                     57
                8.1     Introduction                                                       57
                8.2     What “dignity and respect” means                                   57
                8.3     Summary                                                            63
             9.    Migrants                                                                65
                9.1     Introduction                                                       65
                9.2     Migrants’ recruitment into cleaning jobs                           65
                9.3     Tensions                                                           67
                                                      ii