According to the trade unions and the citizens’ initiative Schools in Need, the cleaning of Berlin’s schools does not belong in the hands of private companies. With a view to the elections for the House of Representatives in September, the Alliance for Clean Schools, in which the DGB, GEW, Verdi and IG BAU are also involved, again called for the remunicipalisation of school cleaning on Wednesday.
This should make the schools cleaner and the working conditions of the cleaning staff better. Susanne Kühne from Schule in Not criticized that there are now often words of appreciation from politics. “But nothing happened.”
The alliance demands from the red-red-green coalition to make a clear commitment to remunicipalising school cleaning. The cleaners should be employed by the districts, and the districts should finally put pressure on and tell the Senate how many jobs are needed for school cleaning, said Kühne.
The Berlin GEW state chairwoman Doreen Siebernik added that the parties are expected to include the topic in their election programs. “We demand reliable school cleaning,” says Siebernik, “and that colleagues are properly paid.”
Private companies are the problem
Jens Korsten from the IG Bau trade union responsible for cleaning companies added that the cleaning staff currently have eight minutes to spend in a classroom. “Unfortunately, we know the results.” There is great pressure in the industry to finish cleaning quickly. “Private companies are not part of the solution, they are part of the problem.”
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Erich Mendroch from the Verdi district of Berlin-Brandenburg criticized the fact that for years, when selecting cleaning companies, the price had been looked at and the cheapest one was chosen. School cleaning is a contribution to health protection, especially against the background of the corona pandemic.
The subject of school cleaning is a constant topic in Berlin. In 2020, more than 25,000 people in Berlin supported the demands of the Alliance for Clean Schools with their signature. (dpa)
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