What is a Union Cleaning Service?
Union cleaning services may not be commonly talked about by your average business owner. Simply, a union cleaning service is one that hires only union workers. Many facilities, and even counties, require the cleaning service that you use for your commercial building to be unionized.
Why is that? A unionized cleaning service can benefit workers in many ways. These include ensuring fair wages and hours, as well as safeguarding equality in the work environment. Counties and commercial facilities require union cleaning services as a way of ensuring that workers are more likely to gain these union benefits than a non-unionized cleaning service.
As a commercial business owner, there are some things to keep in mind when choosing a union cleaning service.
Here are 5 Things to Look for When Hiring Your Union Cleaning Service:
Up-to-Date Training Certifications
While cleaning may not sound like the most dangerous job, most workers handle dangerous chemicals on the job. Inhalation of chemicals can be a serious risk.
Most unions offer plenty of opportunities for their members to advance their certifications and receive up-to-date training. These training opportunities are a great way for workers to stay safer on the job. Their advanced training means more knowledge on how to handle chemicals and what to do in emergency situations.
At the end of the day, checking to make sure that your union cleaning service has up-to-date certifications also means ensuring that the workers you hire will have the best knowledge to keep them safe on the job.
Low Turnover of Employees
Unions also benefit workers by providing higher job security. The cleaning service will not be able to fire workers randomly without cause. This benefit for workers is also an advantage for you.
Having a low turnover of cleaning service employees means less new employees who need training. Employers who have been with the organization for longer are more familiar with your building, leading to more efficient cleaning times and cost savings.
Fair Wages
If possible, looking at the workers’ wages of your new union cleaning service is a great way to ensure that your cleaners will be happy and productive.
Fair wages lead to happier workers with a greater work/life satisfaction. While the cost of a fairly paid team may be higher for you, it will most likely pay off in terms of productivity and better cleaning.
Unions were formed largely as a way to bargain for fair wages with companies. However, not all of them are successful. By choosing a union cleaning service that pays workers well, you’re supporting both unions and workers in their fight for a living wage.
Low Controversy
Choosing a union with a low level of controversy has several benefits for both workers and business owners. Historically unions have had to fight long and hard with corporations in order to gain basic rights, such as fair wages, equality, job security, and health benefits. These controversies have led to strikes, picketing, and lots of media attention.
To avoid having your facility wind up in the middle of one of these strikes or media controversies, it’s always best to look at the union’s website before selecting a union cleaning service. These websites will usually keep you up to date on the latest news and what the union is currently bargaining for.
By refusing to work with a particular union cleaning service that is having to fight for basic rights, you are taking business away from a cleaning service that is not treating its workers fairly. This can provide an economic push for the cleaning service to provide the workers with their rights.
Green Cleaning Certification Company
Commercial-grade cleaning materials can be particularly harsh—after all, they are built to take on the toughest industrial stains. These chemicals are not only harsh on stains, but they can also be harsh on the planet. That’s especially true if the cleaning service you use is not aware of how to properly dispose of old materials and how to minimize their environmental impact.
The GS-42 Green Cleaning Certification is a great way to ensure that your company is doing its part in minimizing environmental side effects. This can increase safety for workers, as green certified cleaning services stay away from the harshest of chemicals. It can also benefit business owners as well.
Not only is making an effort to “go green” good for the earth and your workers, but it’s also great public relations for your company. Using a green certified union cleaning service boosts your public image and becomes a selling point of your organization.
Most of all, green cleaning services avoid the reality of volatile organic compounds that could be dangerous to inhale. Using green certified cleaning products can also increase the health and well-being of your customers. A green certification provides more training for workers on how to properly contain materials to avoid leaks that could cause a breathing hazard in your building.
Where Can You Find a Union Cleaning Service like This?
The Wilburn Company prides itself on offering a GS-42 Green Certified union cleaning service. Your business will receive Wilburn’s standard industry-leading cleaning expertise, access to secure cleaning, and the quality assurance of our friendly highly-trained staff on top of the extra assurance of a union label. Learn more about our union cleaning service here.