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CSSA Chairman Douglas Cook continued:

"The CSSA has retained its focus on employment law issues, which include many of the social elements of the sustainability agenda. We remain on very friendly terms with London Citizens and we continue to support both the London Living Wage and the Strangers into Citizens campaign. The recession cannot be used as an excuse for this or indeed any industry to pile even more pressure on the cleaners upon whom we all depend. We again gave evidence to the Low Pay Commission. As you all know the National Minimum Wage will increase to £5.80 per hour in October this year. The Commission has taken the brave step of increasing the NMW at a time when many are experiencing real cuts in their take home pay. It will be interesting to see if this increase has any discernable effect on employment.

"The CSSA continues to work on healthcare and hygiene issues. We have a close dialogue with the Department of Health and are working with them on issues such as cleaning specifications, deep cleans and pensions in the NHS. The unfunded nature of NHS pensions is becoming a substantial barrier to outsourcing and we are pressurising the Government to ensure that there is a real level playing field between inhouse and outsourced suppliers."

Doug saved the best until last, announcing a move that many in the industry - over several years - have suggested we ought to make... that of providing a single voice to the outside world. The British Cleaning Council is made up of 19 different groups representing the interests of different parts of the industry. Each of these has its own secretariat and with it all the incumbent costs of running an office.

Doug announced that from July 1st, the first step along that path will be taken as the CSSA will be providing the secretarial services to both the British Cleaning Council and the Industrial Cleaning Machine Manufacturers Association.

"I believe that this is the right thing to do, and that it will enable the enlarged secretariat to provide better services to all three organisations while at the same time respecting their identity and independence. "

I hope - for the sake of the industry - that more of the individual associations follow suit. No doubt others will disagree...

18th June 2009