CSSA NEWS
The CSSA is active in promoting our members' interests to the media and the wider world. Please find below our press releases.
CSSA Press Release - Channel 4 News Report on Illegal Working
Released on 15/04/2010
On 14th April, Channel 4 News reported on the incidence of illegal working at ISS and more widely across the cleaning and support services industry.
While the headline about ISS was misleading, the report itself touched on real issues of concern to cleaning companies. It should be reinforced that the report confirmed that ISS has been exonerated by UKBA of any wrong doing. ISS has strong procedures in place for the scrutiny of all its employees and has been the victim of high quality forged documents – as have other reputable employers.
The CSSA was interviewed for the report and made the case that the enforcement of illegal working by UKBA was inadequate, as they did not remove illegal workers from the workforce when they were found, but instead merely pushed them on to the next employer or the informal economy.
In the subsequent discussion, it is clear that none of the major political parties have fully grasped the reality of the situation. The issue of illegal workers jumping from employer to employer is real. Resolving the situation will take a full review of right to work law in the UK and the political will to deal with the hundreds of thousands of illegal workers here in the UK. Blaming employers will not alter a position that is based on an over complex law and poor enforcement.
Speaking after the report, Andrew Large – Chief Executive of the Cleaning and Support Services Association – said: “I am delighted that the Channel 4 News report showed that ISS has been exonerated by UKBA of any flaw in its procedures. The report shows just how difficult the situation is for reputable employers across the UK. It is totally unacceptable for politicians to blame reputable employers when they are doing their best to manage a complex and unwieldy system and see UKBA failing to remove illegal workers from the workplace. None of the parties has properly addressed the necessary reforms of the UK law for overseas workers and we will be pushing them during the election campaign to do so.”
Notes for Editors:
The CSSA is the trade association for the UK contract cleaning and support service sector. Founded in 1967, its members employ in excess of 275,000 people.
You can find the Channel 4 News report here C4 News link and the subsequent discussion here Woolas Grayling Huhne link
Andrew Large’s blog comments following the report are here. blog link
Contact
Andrew Large
Email: alarge@cleaningassoc.org
Telephone: 020 7920 9632
