At last - cleaners low pay and abusive contracts under investigation

[fl0wer]

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/dec/29/equality-investigation-cleaners-low-pay

[uncleglen]

I don't know about now but in the past cleaning, bar work, in fact anything that came under the umbrella of 'casual labour' was usually undertaken by people who were signing on at the same time. It used to be referred to as 'the black economy'. This type of unregulated work is going to be very widespread now- even government departments have been found to have illegal cleaners who were working under contract.

[womanofdulwich]

I don't think that's strictly true Uncle Glen. Students and mums whose partners work have always done this type of work too.

[uncleglen]

Doesn't mean to say it's above board - students and mums can work cash in hand just like others. People are willing to pay a cheaper rate ' off the cards' as it used to be.

[womanofdulwich]

But if they only earn ?50 a week and are not tax payers then that's fine isn't it?

Isn't the threshold for tax much higher than that?