FIRMS have been urged to make sure cleaners are treated with fairness after a new study found many felt "invisible", had problems getting paid and had to eat meals in mop cupboards. The Equality and Human Rights Commission is setting up a taskforce to improve working conditions after uncovering "disturbing" evidence of how cleaners are treated by supervisors, clients and even members of the public.
Its research found problems with pay, holiday or sick leave as well as a culture where cleaners were afraid to make complaints for fear of losing their job.
A few workers told the commission they were threatened with dismissal for getting pregnant, while others said they had nowhere to take a break.