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30.04.2024 / News / Justice for Cleaners

UVW win: Milagros reinstated!

“If it wasn’t for the union I wouldn’t have got my job back“

Milagros Icaza, sacked cleaner and UVW member

Originally from Peru, Milagros with the support of UVW successfully fought against the decision to dismiss her for taking a cleaning product from one company site to another in order to clean a stubborn stain. Nu Service sacked her for breach of health and safety, insubordination and breach of trust, even though she was simply trying to do their job well and after she apologised for her actions. ”I’m happy and calm now. I have a new contract, dating back to the day I was dismissed, and my years of service will be respected”, she told us.

Using cleaning products across different Nu Service sites was common practice in her experience. She had been told not to use bleach but hadn’t been given an answer regarding bringing tannin remover over from another site so she brought a bit of the cleaning liquid over in a plastic bottle. After removing the stain, she left the leftover liquid inside the cupboard with the other cleaning products – covered with a plastic glove.

“A few days later, I was called into a meeting and asked why I had brought over bleach. I told them it wasn’t bleach but tannin remover, a liquid Nu Service used at the other site. I was reprimanded because I hadn’t waited for instructions and I apologised and told them I was just trying to do my job well. But I was immediately suspended from my two jobs and eventually dismissed.” Milagros had a clean company record beforehand. 

Milagros had worked happily for Nu Service since she moved to the UK in 2021. Before the UK, she had lived in Spain for 17 years and 10 in Argentina. “I’ve spent all my life away from Peru to try and improve my life and that of my two girls” she told us. She worked long hours for Nu Service.

Milagros fought for justice and she was vindicated. She understands the importance of being unionised against these types of abuses, “Join a union because that’s our last line of defence. And don’t stay silent. Speak up. Fight for what is right.”

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