feature contract cleaning
The value in partnering with an established industry body Business associations are membership organisations engaged in promoting the business interests of their members. In this instance, the aim of the cleaning industry body is to represent the interests of companies operating in the cleaning and hygiene sector with the objective to maintain standards and constantly raise the profile of the industry to improve general cleanliness. With this in mind, the industry body’s national secretary, Sandy Barrie, offers a comprehensive current overview.
T
he National Contract Cleaners Association (NCCA) is a national association established in 1989. The definition of a contract cleaning company is that it offers an outsourced, specialised cleaning service where cleaners and equipment are supplied at a cost per month. The NCCA is a voluntary association and an employers’ association registered with the Department of Labour and is affiliated to the ISSA, the world’s leading trade association for the cleaning industry, established in 1923. The ISSA offers a world of knowledge and facilitates ongoing networking, communication, and commercial opportunities for their members. It provides members with the highest quality, industry-specific, relevant information. It is the most widely accepted resource for knowledge and standards regarding professional business practices, making the scientific connection between cleaning and health, and has the greatest impact on establishing a global cleaning community.
The NCCA’s mandate is to: • regulate relationships between its members and their employees in the contract cleaning industry; • protect and further the interests of its members; • promote collective bargaining, lawful conduct and fair labour practices between its members and their employees in the contract cleaning industry; promote, defend and represent the interests of its
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African Cleaning Review January/February 2022
members at both a national and local level; • co-ordinate the actions of its members regarding matters of concern; • provide liaison between its members and organised labour and other bodies; endeavour to settle disputes affecting its members, either as individuals or as an organised group; • protect the rights of its members and render them with assistance with regard to employment matters related to conducting business in the contract cleaning industry; • promote communication, interaction and unanimity between branches of the association in order to ensure proper implementation of the objectives and policies of the association; • issue media statements on behalf of its members; • lobby for the support of central, provincial and local government and any other decision-maker; and • liaise with other organisations that have similar objectives and policies to the association and perform any functions incidental to the promotion of the aims, objectives and mission of the NCCA. Benefits of outsourcing to NCCA member companies means that clients can focus on their core business as the contractor’s core business is cleaning. • The contractor lays out the capital and the clients are released from the administrative headaches.
• The contractor develops specifications with the client and is responsible for maintaining these specifications. Before contracting with a cleaning company, research the company and ask questions such as: • How long have they been operating? • Are they members of the NCCA? • Can they provide details of previous companies they contracted with (and if so contact these companies to obtain references)? • Does the contract cleaning company have a cleaning and disinfecting plan that is in line with fighting the COVID-19 pandemic? • Are their cleaning personnel properly trained? • Have they registered their disinfectants with the NRCS and do they have the necessary material safety data sheets (MSDS) providing details of the chemical substances used (the MSDSs must be available while the cleaning company is on site)? • Is the cleaning company registered with the NBC? • Do they pay over their contributions to the Contract Cleaners National Provident Fund administered by the NBC? Cleaning companies who choose to be members of the NCCA do so because they wish to align themselves with an organisation that is a national leader of the cleaning industry in
