Intermediaries of cleaners against undeclared work and for more regulation
The Swiss cleaning companies Batmaid and Putzfrau.ch have been working together for almost a year to combat undeclared work in order to create safe working conditions for cleaners, which have further increased as a result of the pandemic.
In Switzerland, 80 percent of all cleaners are still currently employed via the black market. For the cleaners, this means a lack of financial security and a lack of legal protection. The consequences are precarious working conditions in the cleaning industry, which have further intensified as a result of the pandemic, as many private households have laid off their cleaning staff at short notice. Before the pandemic, one in seven Swiss households employed a cleaner, according to a 2018 Comparis survey. Batmaid and putzfrau.ch have therefore made it their mission to enable cleaners to leave undeclared work and offer them safe, progressive and fair working conditions through permanent employment in accordance with the legal provisions in Switzerland with the associated protective measures. So far, Batmaid and putzfrau.ch have been able to support more than 8,000 cleaners in exiting the black market.
Together against undeclared work
The success in the fight against undeclared work and the black market is also due to the simple and straightforward booking process when arranging cleaning services through a cleaning company such as Batmaid or putzfrau.ch. "Our focus is on technology and innovation, which is why the desired cleaning service can be booked in just three clicks via our website or app and the upcoming tasks can be changed at any time," explains Andreas Schollin-Borg, CEO and founder of Batmaid.
Anyone who trusts in a professional cleaning company also enjoys many advantages, including no time and cost expenditure for administrative issues or personnel replacement in the event of absence during vacations or illness. In addition, "For private individuals, two important criteria are paramount when hiring cleaners: trust and professionalism. These guarantees are missing when hiring a cleaner through the black market. With Batmaid and putzfrau.ch, only trained, trustworthy and registered persons are placed," explains Adrian Gsell, Managing Director of putzfrau.ch.
No cash payment since January
Trade unions and the Association of Swiss Cleaning Companies are also working to combat the black market. A new collective labor agreement for cleaning work, which has been in force in German-speaking Switzerland since January of this year, means that, among other things, wages may no longer be paid out in cash. Clear rules and control instruments would combat abusive employment relationships and unfair competition. In order to support the new law and to ensure its compliance, the two cleaning companies Batmaid and Putzfrau.ch demand the establishment of a control body and are open to the responsible offices in this respect. Through its international expansion, Batmaid is an attentive observer of European regulations, which could serve as food for thought for the Swiss authorities.
Sources: www.batmaid.ch / www.putzfrau.ch
