Through a global agreement with Union Network International (UNI), ISS has since 2003 committed to support 12 fundamental principles based on International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions.
The agreement was renewed in 2009 with an increased focus on labour and the right to join a union. The agreement aims at enabling all ISS employees worldwide to be able to exercise rights to union membership and collective bargaining.
The agreement and collaboration has prompted UNI to name ISS as ‘an employer that treats its workers well and is setting a good example for other global employers’.
As part of the agreement, ISS and UNI created the Global UNIISS Foundation in 2009 with the purpose of monitoring and improving employment standards within the service industry globally. The Foundation aims to ensure that the annual ISS donation of EUR 100,000 is invested in projects within the industry and countries in which ISS operates.
This has led to establishment of the Mexico City Fundación en Pro de la Educación Sindical. The foundation will create the United Cleaning Workers Center in order to impact Mexico City facilities management in terms of compliance with labour laws and improved bidding and contracting policies for cleaning contractors in public sector buildings
Two major themes are in play: Human rights violations and lack of contributions to the health and pension system. The project will improve conditions for facilities management workers in general, as well as show that companies such as ISS and others are important exceptions of these trends of non-compliance.
See also www.uniglobalunion.org