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14.01.2026 10:34

Repeated violations of collective agreement in cleaning work

In cleaning work, the same violations are repeated again and again: work shifts are systematically understaffed, additional work is not paid for, the pace of work is unreasonable, and employees are put under pressure. The most serious problems are found in hotel and ship cleaning.

Labour exploitation embedded in the property services sector has been widely discussed during the last autumn and towards the end of the year 2025. The issue was addressed, among other things, in the previous issue of PAM Magazine (5/25).

In addition to the most blatant cases, the sector also sees everyday exploitation and abuse, as some companies fail to comply with the provisions of the collective agreement.

Among the companies violating the collective agreement are also large operators in the sector that are members of the employer organisation Real Estate Employers.

Problems are concentrated in certain companies

Around one quarter of the dispute cases handled by PAM concern the property services sector. As a rule, companies in the sector operate in accordance with the collective agreement. Problems with compliance are particularly concentrated in hotel and ship cleaning.

— The abuses that reach the public are usually exceptionally serious in nature. However, in addition to these most severe cases, there is a great deal of abuse of varying degrees and far too many problems in complying with the collective agreement in certain companies, says Ulla Moilanen, PAM’s collective bargaining specialist responsible for the property services sector.

The union is well aware of the recurring problems in certain companies. Individual members can be helped, but the possibilities to influence companies’ operating practices are limited. Legislation allows companies that violate collective agreements to get off too easily.

Working hours are systematically underestimated

The root cause of many abuses is the systematic underestimation of working hours. Companies win tenders with low bids, making it often impossible to operate profitably while observing fair terms and conditions of employment.

— In hotel and ship cleaning, working time is planned at 4–6 hours per day, and the actual working time exceeds this almost every day. It is not possible to complete the work within the allocated time, which leads to abuses, for example in the payment of additional work, Moilanen explains.

In order for additional work to be paid, employees are required to contact their supervisor and ask for permission to continue working until the tasks are completed. According to Moilanen, additional work also requires an — acceptable reason. If no such reason is deemed to exist, or if the employee does not dare to contact the supervisor, the additional work performed is not paid.

— Permission is required for additional work, but employees are still not allowed to leave work at the time stated in the shift schedule. The pace of work is unreasonable, and employees are not shown how the work could be done within the given time.

These are the kinds of abuses employees face

The employer determines a cleaning time that is underestimated, making it simply impossible to complete the cleaning work within the given time. The cleaning time per hotel room may be only 12–13 minutes, forcing the work to be done at an impossibly fast pace. The same unreasonable pace applies to other cleaning work, from stairwell cleaning to specialised cleaning tasks.

The shift schedule is planned to include the shortest possible shifts. As a result, employees are forced to do additional work on a daily basis and do not know when their working day will end when they arrive at work. In some companies, wages are not paid for the additional work performed.

Sick pay is paid according to the planned shift schedule rather than the actual hours worked. There are shortcomings and errors in the payment of supplements, and employees are required to be on call without compensation.

Employees with a foreign background are given full-time employment contracts for the authorities and for obtaining a residence permit, but in reality full-time work is not provided. This causes problems for cleaners when applying for an extension of their permit.

When a cleaner moves from one worksite to another, no wages are paid for the travel time, even though under the collective agreement this time must be paid.

Companies violating the collective agreement get off lightly

If an employee has dared to contact a shop steward or the union, unpaid wages have been corrected. When the union intervenes, many companies settle the cases and avoid costly court proceedings.

However, a significant proportion of employees subjected to abuse do not dare to contact the trade union, as for many employees with a foreign background their residence permit is tied to their employment contract.

— Even though we continuously recover unpaid wages for employees, the practices do not change. Many employees do not dare to claim what they are owed with the union’s help because of their weak position and fear of losing their job, and many companies take advantage of this, Moilanen says.

Employees are also conscientious. PAM is aware that in a large hotel in the Helsinki metropolitan area, employees arrive at work almost an hour early without pay in order to complete their tasks within the required time.

The right of unions to bring legal action and the criminalisation of underpayment would prevent abuses

PAM and other trade unions have long demanded that unions be granted the right to bring legal action and that the right to class actions be extended to cases concerning labour legislation. Official resources for supervision should also be increased.

— With the right of action, the union would have the right to bring a case on behalf of an employee in a vulnerable position. Extending the right to class actions would in turn make it possible to pursue the claims of several members in a single action, explains PAM lawyer Marianne Friman.

According to Friman, another effective way to prevent abuse would be the criminalisation of underpayment. At present, it is not a criminal offence.

— The consequences of wage theft for employers are often negligible. In many cases, the only consequence is that the employer has to pay the missing wages, and even then only to the employee who dares to demand them. The union of course helps in recovering unpaid wages, but the employer can still continue its operations.

The Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK) and employers oppose the criminalisation of underpayment.

The union can help when abuses are reported

Over the past two years, PAM has handled more than 300 members’ dispute cases in the property services sector. Members can rely on the union’s support if an employer violates the collective agreement and, for example, fails to pay wages for additional work.

— You can contact PAM or a shop steward confidentially, and the matter will not be taken forward without the member’s consent. If more people dare to speak up about abuses, we will be better able to intervene in practices that violate the collective agreement. Keeping your own working time records is extremely important in the event of disputes and carries significant weight even in court, Moilanen reminds.

What to do if you need employment relationship advice

  • Ask for help from your workplace shop steward.
  • First, try to resolve the issue by calmly discussing the situation with your supervisor. If you need support in preparing for the discussion, contact our employment relationship advisory services.
  • If the matter is not resolved, contact employment relationship advice by phone, by sending a message via PAM’s online service, or by booking an appointment at a PAM regional office. Our employment relationship specialists will help you move forward.
  • Remember to keep your own working time records in cases involving working hours and pay!

Read more here!

Respond to the survey on how employment conditions are implemented

Employment conditions do not implement themselves. We want to hear how well collective agreement is realised in your day-to-day work and to what extent problems occur at workplaces. You can respond to the survey even if you are not a PAM member.

You can find the survey here (open until 8 February 2026).

Text: Pauli Unkuri, photo: Getty Images.

Keywords:

property services sector

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