Sue Gray Report: Anger That Cleaning Staff Treated With 'Contempt'

A cleaner with a trolley full of cleaning equipment and supplies Industry leaders are 'appalled and upset' after Sue Gray's report said there were 'multiple examples of a lack of respect  and poor treatment of security and cleaning staff' in Number 10.

Jim Melvin, Chairman of the British Cleaning Council, which is the voice of the cleaning, hygiene and waste sector, said: “At a time when many cleaning and hygiene operational staff were putting themselves at risk to maintain high standards of hygiene and ensure that key workers and the public were safe and well during the pandemic, it is absolutely appalling and upsetting to hear that they were being treated with such contempt by people who sit within Government or the civil service and who frankly should know better.

“Cleaning staff are hardworking, professional and deserve to be respected in their vital work, just like anyone one else, and certainly how the people concerned would expect to be treated.

Jim Melvin, Chairman of the British Cleaning Council (BCC) “In some parts of the cleaning industry, the demand for increased standards of hygiene during the pandemic has combined with severe staff shortages to drive many colleagues close to breaking point.

“The Prime Minister himself thanked cleaning staff in Parliament and now we are subjected to the contents of Sue Gray’s report. Which one are we to believe?

“What cleaning staff need is support and recognition from the Government, not to be treated with such arrogance or disrespect.

“In that respect, we wish to engage with the Government and actually see what the claim that steps have been taken really means in detail. We will be formally requesting a meeting to have such engagement and discussion.”

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Jim Melvin has asked to meet the Head of the Home Civil Service/Cabinet Secretary Simon Case due to concerns about the treatment of cleaning staff highlighted by the Sue Gray report. He has also written an open letter to Mr Case, which can be read below.

Mr Simon Case,
Head of the Home Civil Service/Cabinet Secretary
10 Downing Street
London
SW1A 2AA

Dear Mr Case May 25th 2022

Reference the Sue Gray Report and the allegations of abuse towards cleaning and hygiene Staff

I write in relation to the section of the Sue Gray report in which she makes clear her significant concern over the allegations of abuse against cleaning and hygiene staff.

At a time when many cleaning and hygiene operational staff, arguably as frontline workers, were putting themselves directly at risk to maintain high standards of hygiene and ensure that Key Workers and the public were kept as safe as possible during the pandemic, it is absolutely appalling and upsetting to hear that they were being treated with such contempt by people who may sit within Government or the Civil Service and who frankly should know better.

It is our position that cleaning and hygiene operatives are hardworking, professional and deserve to be respected in their vital work, just like anyone one else and certainly how the people concerned would expect to be treated.

For further clarification and information, in some parts of the cleaning industry, the demand for increased standards of hygiene during the pandemic has combined with severe staff shortages to drive many colleagues close to breaking point. What cleaning staff need is support and recognition from the Government and Civil Service, not to be treated with any level of disrespect.

The Prime Minister himself thanked cleaning and hygiene operatives in Parliament and now we are subjected to the contents within Sue Gray’s report. It is unacceptable which I am sure that you would fully endorse and, in that respect, we wish to engage with the Government and review both the allegations and the details around the steps that have been taken and what this really means in detail.

I therefore write to formally request a meeting to have such engagement and discussion and would ask for some dates when such a meeting would be possible, please?

I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.

Yours Sincerely

Jim Melvin

Chairman

The British Cleaning Council