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Focus on
Labour
Exploitation

New specialist resources for workers in the cleaning sector

April 5, 2022

Over the past months, Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX), the Latin American Women’s Rights Service (LAWRS) and the East European Resource Centre (EERC) have been busy running a project to help prevent labour exploitation in the UK’s cleaning sector, in collaboration with the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA). Together, our organisations have been working with cleaners and community organisations across the country to improve understanding of the complexity of labour exploitation in the cleaning sector and foster collaborations between supporting organisations and labour market enforcement.

FLEX has been delivering training sessions in London, Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh, bringing together GLAA officers, statutory services, and local organisations supporting cleaners from all backgrounds, to build their understanding of key employment rights, risks and indicators of labour exploitation in cleaning work, and how to access advice and support.

Alongside these training sessions, LAWRS and EERC have been running an awareness-raising campaign, via both digital platforms and physical outreach, targeted directly at cleaners from two groups – Eastern Europeans and Latin Americans – who make up a large proportion of the UK’s cleaning workforce. This campaign includes resources about workers’ rights and avenues to accessing support in four community languages (Polish, Portuguese, Romanian and Spanish). Links to the resources can be found below.

Read more about the project here.

Read more about FLEX’s research into labour exploitation in the cleaning sector here.

Resources in Romanian and Polish, produced by the East European Resource Centre (EERC):

VIDEOS

Issues with working hours:

Romanian: https://www.facebook.com/EastEuropeans/videos/778630463525912

Polish: https://www.facebook.com/EastEuropeans/videos/1189521088483241

Health and safety issues:

Romanian: https://www.facebook.com/EastEuropeans/videos/484061066790070

Polish: https://www.facebook.com/EastEuropeans/videos/1473575149743048

Issues with pay:

Romanian: https://www.facebook.com/EastEuropeans/videos/743317796839118

Polish: https://www.facebook.com/EastEuropeans/videos/704104270758332

FLYERS

Employment support and advice:

Romanian: https://www.facebook.com/EastEuropeans/posts/307359701490881

Polish: https://www.facebook.com/EastEuropeans/posts/307353294824855

Employment rights – working conditions:

Romanian: https://www.facebook.com/EastEuropeans/posts/299843722242479

Polish: https://www.facebook.com/EastEuropeans/posts/307292388164279

Employment rights – contracts and holidays:

Romanian: https://www.facebook.com/EastEuropeans/posts/307351401491711

Polish: https://www.facebook.com/EastEuropeans/posts/299842228909295

Resources in Spanish and Portuguese, produced by the Latin American Women’s Rights Service (LAWRS):

VIDEOS

Sexual harassment: 

Spanish: https://www.facebook.com/lawrsuk/videos/1692360134432699

Portuguese: https://www.facebook.com/lawrsuk/videos/3180642625517724

Worker status: 

Spanish: https://www.facebook.com/lawrsuk/videos/3111604682438773

Portuguese: https://www.facebook.com/lawrsuk/videos/4808546052596266

Exploitation: 

Spanish: https://www.facebook.com/lawrsuk/videos/347828927378565

Portuguese: https://www.facebook.com/lawrsuk/videos/697866257921166

FLYERS

Contract: 

Spanish: https://www.facebook.com/lawrsuk/photos/a.449554911735356/5243699092320890

Portuguese: https://www.facebook.com/lawrsuk/photos/a.449554911735356/5243688268988639

NMW: 

Spanish: https://www.facebook.com/lawrsuk/photos/a.449554911735356/5243672302323569

Portuguese: https://www.facebook.com/lawrsuk/photos/a.449554911735356/5243623162328483

Holiday pay: 

Spanish: https://www.facebook.com/lawrsuk/photos/a.449554911735356/5243735405650592

Portuguese: https://www.facebook.com/lawrsuk/photos/a.449554911735356/5243730598984406

Sick leave: 

Spanish: https://www.facebook.com/lawrsuk/photos/a.449554911735356/5243721682318631

Portuguese: https://www.facebook.com/lawrsuk/photos/a.449554911735356/5243719462318853

Pregnancy: 

Spanish: https://www.facebook.com/lawrsuk/photos/a.449554911735356/5243745248982941

Portuguese: https://www.facebook.com/lawrsuk/photos/a.449554911735356/5243742725649860