Just a cleaner...

Now to rant without writing a book!

I am a license nurse in America (LPN), and not qualified in Britain, so I took a supervisory cleaner job at a prep school, which I actually enjoy, besides the horrible wages and treatment.
HOWEVER...... I have found at my place of employment that the "cleaners" are nothing. In the states I would never think about treating anyone the way they get treated.
My favorite show before I ever knew anyone in Britain was "Are You Being Served", I thought it was all a joke, but really it isn't as I have sadly found out.
My staff and I do not have a break room, and have to serve the teachers and other staff daily, coffee and biscuits in their staff lounge, but my staff is not allowed any.
I feel so completely demoralized, and don't understand why it is this way.
I have been told that it is all over England, not just at my job.
There is much much more I could go on about, but thought I better keep it short! Lol
I am currently, and diligently seeking other employment!

Been there, done that, and I really feel for you.

I was made redundant from my admin job, and after months of applications and failed interviews, I finally took a cleaning job (job-seekers allowance just wasn't enough to live on) in an office building.

The staff working in the building were horrible to us... ranging from saying awful things, thinking we couldn't hear them, to completely ignoring us.

The uniform was vile... and we only got the one, so I had to wash it every night.  When it was cold in winter, we couldn't wear a fleece or cardi or anything, as it wasn't part of the uniform.

Anytime something was lost or misplaced... it was of course STOLEN by a cleaner.

The cleaners were not allowed to talk to each other... even on our breaks, we had to sit at seperate tables, as the perception would have been that we were skiving.

As if the staff treating us crap weren't bad enough, our own supervisor was accusatory, impatient, and blatantly told lies.

It was the worst 8 months of my life.  I hope you get out, or find a way to cope.

Thanks! I am pretty stubborn, so I doubt I will learn to cope. Lol
My best bet is to continue my job search.
I know what you mean about other staff, they pretty much treat us the same, except we are allowed to talk.
We have horrible uniforms too, I find it degrading, considering we are the only staff that has to wear uniforms.
I have heard two staff members say that if cleaners had brains they wouldn't be cleaning. I feel like saying to them, you know I made more money than you in America! Lol I think it is disgusting how posh they think they are. They really need to get over themselves.
The cleaning staff at my job gets blamed as well if anything comes up missing, even though all sorts of people come in and out all day long. Anyway......
Glad you were able to get out of that job!

Sorry to hear of these horrible experiences!

I have to say that one of the things that attracted me to my now DH was the way he treated cleaners, dinner ladies, custodians and so on.  He takes people for who they are -- not the job they're doing. 

I've never been a cleaner but have worked in retail where you have to put up with a lot people making ridiculous demands and never giving you any thanks or respect.  I also have done contract library work where we were always looked down on by the "real" staff. In both those instances we were given stupid aprons to wear, which I suppose marked us as targets for the snobs.

How insecure people must feel to put down those performing a service for them! 

(Boston Diner - my DH is the same, and like you, it was one of the reasons I was so attracted to him.  )

Of his four closest friends, two have such "posh" positions that if I mentioned what they did for a living someone might figure out who they are. Another of his best friends moves furniture for a living. He treats them all the same.

I'm ashamed to say, I was brought up a bit "snobby", but never felt that way myself. I frequently clashed with my parents because I did not like the way they treated certain people.

When I am able to work, I will most likely have to take a job for which I am highly over qualified.  I don't care anymore. I am tired of the rat race and office politics.  I just want to make a bit of money and be happy.

That said, you're not happy, so keep looking!  No one should be treated in the manner you describe.  I've seen people with PhD's volunteer to clean toilets at a homeless shelter. My uncle dropped out of high school and went on to be a multi-millionaire. You never know who you're talking to, or looking down at.  Everyone deserves respect, kindness and dignity no matter what job they perform. We are all on this earth to help each other.

 We are all on this earth to help each other.

Absolutely! That is my philosophy anyway.

Fallgal you said it perfectly!

Glad to hear that there are some people out there that can relate! However, sorry you have had to experience along with me some of the snobbery.
I really cannot understand it, how can people who treat others that way even
sleep at night?
People are people, we all put our britches on the same way!

I don't that sort of attitude either. If it wasn't for cleaners, they'd have to clean up after themselves. I've only had one cleaning job, in the States, and I never experienced anything like that. It was for a company that makes CNC routers. My pay scale was the same as the lowest of the guys building the machines, but they were still specialists in what they did and made a great wage, so for someone cleaning in air conditioned, carpeted, comfortable offices, it was an insanely great wage. I also had the best insurance of my life. I was treated with respect and thanked daily by at least a few people for what I did for them. The CEO/owner of the company thanked me every time he saw me, spoke to me like I was anyone else in the company, and treated me with the same dignity he did his vp of the company. A lot of them gave me Christmas gifts each year. Sure they were smallish, more token gifts than anything, such as Christmas ornaments or figurines, because they knew I collected cows, but it was touching.

I have heard people talk down about 'cleaners' saying the word the same as they'd say 'vermin', while here, and it just makes me want to choke them. There seems to be a lot of a 'better than you' attitude, at least in my area, here. I've noticed how many people, even teenagers, treat people in shops as if they are inferior too, because they are in a position to serve them, therefore they are beneath them. It is truly sad that people treat other humans that way.

I hope you find a job that makes you happier, where people treat you with the respect you deserve.

   I can't believe this, I'm shocked and I'm so sorry you're being treated this way.  


Fallgirl did say it perfectly.

Karma.


Just so you know, if you think you're being unfairly treated or bullied at work  you can obtain advice from your local citizens advice

Thanks for the info, that is good to know! I am hoping to find work elsewhere, soon!
I am also glad to know that I am not just making something out of nothing. Things like this job experience make me really homesick for the states, but I think that is a lame excuse to leave here, I love England. I'm tough, just gonna keep thinking, they'll get theirs someday. Lol
I keep thinking I would like to put a "like" on everyones posts! I'm a FB junkie!

It's disgusting behaviour but behaviour that is far too common. The way I see it (and this is NOT patronising), everyone has a role to play in making a business/organisation a success. If the cleaner didn't clean the office/building then clients/customers/staff can't function. As simple as that. People tend to disagree or laugh when I say stuff like that but it's true.

Just in the same way that if the CEO/manager/headteacher doesn't sign off the salary authorisations, staff don't get paid.

Something that still bugs me? That some people think they're 'above' cleaning staff to even speak to them. Really frustrates me. Nobody is better than anyone else, regardless of your job, your pay, your 'class', or anything else about you. Everyone deserves mutual respect.

Shocking that this kind of thing still goes on. It genuinely and seriously winds me up.

I completely agree that everyone has a role, and that it shouldn't matter what the role is, we all deserve to be treated with respect.
I have just never seen anything like this in my whole working career. I have been told I should accept it, but I refuse.

I completely agree that everyone has a role, and that it shouldn't matter what the role is, we all deserve to be treated with respect.
I have just never seen anything like this in my whole working career. I have been told I should accept it, but I refuse.

There is no reason to accept being treated as a lesser person. I agree with what phatbeetle says about speaking to someone at your local citizens advice.

You shouldn't accept it at all!

And you make them drinks?? Is that even in your contract?? If anyone had that attitude with me "oh you're just the cleaner" then I'd be like "yeah, I am - so make your own ***** drink!".

I'm not sure what the solution is because everything I can think of (right from complaining to the people directly to raising it with your line manager) could cause you even more grief (unacceptable and unfair, I know!). What very often happens when there's a dispute like this is that it ends up where you leave to keep your own sanity! I'm not saying you should - you shouldn't! But certainly speak to someone at the CAB about it - no harm getting advice.

Also - a lot will depend on who employs you, whether it's the school or a contractor.