Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, the Union of Service Employees, Local 800, representing more than 10,000 cleaning staff, has been calling for a bonus for these frontline workers. “We first approached employer associations and received the response that employers would not be able to pass on this additional cost to their clients,” the union states.
Since then, the government program PIRTE has offered a $100/week “retention” bonus. However, it turns out that with an average hourly wage of $18, many cleaning staff will not be eligible due to the $550 gross weekly cap imposed by the program.
Similarly to security guards, private-sector cleaning staff are demanding a real $2/hour bonus for workers assigned to contracts with a risk of virus transmission, such as healthcare facilities, CHSLDs (long-term care homes), and residences.
“These cleaning staff are facing the invisible enemy of COVID-19 every day. They are the ones trying to kill the virus while putting themselves at risk of infection on the job. Every time an area is contaminated, it is their responsibility to go in with disinfecting products and clean everything to stop the spread! Doors, handles, railings, light switches, elevator buttons, sinks, toilet seats, counters… everything must be disinfected! They do tremendous work, and we need them more than ever to flatten the curve! That is why we are asking the government to truly recognize their essential work and establish a risk premium that would apply to every hour worked,” said UES 800 President Raymond Larcher.
The Union of Service Employees, Local 800 represents 24,000 workers across Quebec. It is affiliated with the Quebec Federation of Labour (QFL), the largest trade union federation in Quebec, with more than 600,000 members.
Translated into English by SEU800 from the original French-language press release.