Housekeeping attendant job

The job of housekeeping attendant is generally a well-paid profession. It should be noted that there is a joint housekeeping committee that manages salaries and working conditions.

By its own definition, the Joint Committee defines its mission as follows:

“Ensure compliance with the decree with a collective concern for integrity, commitment and professionalism by promoting and defending the interests and rights of employees in housekeeping and by becoming the essential reference in the industry.”

The Joint Committee also has the following daily roles:

• to ensure and supervise the application of the decree;
• receive complaints in the event of violations of the decree;
• conduct investigations and inspections at workplaces and company headquarters;
• claim from employers the amounts owed to employees;
• defend in court employees whose rights have not been respected;
• inform employers and employees of their rights and obligations.

At the time of writing, the salaries are detailed as follows:

Hourly rates as of September 4, 2023 - Montreal region: (see updates at this address)

Class A, Heavy work	20.47 $ per hour
Class B, Light Duty	8:30 p.m. $ per hour
Class C, Working at height	21.05 $ the hour

However, buildings that hire and manage their own employees (without the intervention of a cleaning company) are not subject to this law. Wages can then vary from the current minimum wage to a wage higher than that of the Joint Committee.

This article about this full-time job

The job of a housekeeper is physical

The employee is required to work constantly on their feet. This is a job where employees are constantly on the move. I've even seen employees completely lose their "bellies" within the first three months of their employment, simply because they walked a lot during their workday.

It is a work that I describe as meditative.

An employee with a regular routine could do their job without having to think about anything. When an employee was experiencing difficult events in their lives, they would say to me, "Let me work. It feels good to do something without thinking and to be well surrounded by my coworkers."

A physically demanding job, but so rewarding.

The employee immediately sees the positive results of their work. They can themselves relish a job well done. What could be more beautiful than seeing their floors freshly waxed? It's a true source of pride for a job well done!

Housekeeping staff have power over public health.

When there's a case of gastroenteritis, flu, or other bacteria, janitors are called in to perform disinfection. They must therefore put aside their usual work to perform this more specific task, which requires their attention.

The psychological side of the job of housekeeper.

However, it's a profession whose positive contributions are not generally recognized by the general population. In fact, concierges are rarely praised for their work. Only a few clients acknowledge their work and thank them. Occasionally, some clients give them thank-you gifts. But this is far from the majority.

Working for a cleaning company also means we worry about contract renewals. Personally, when I was running my own business, I tried not to stress my employees out over contract renewals. First, the company I managed rarely lost its contracts. But the risk was still there when the organization fell back into tender. To that end, I received a call from a former team leader this morning. Phew. What a joy and pleasure to talk to people you've known for over 10 years.

Because, let's face it, our employees are our strength. After 32 years of managing this former company, what I miss most is the contact with my former employees. They meant a lot to me. I enjoyed bringing them smoothies during the summer school holidays, for example. I know how difficult summer work is for employees, especially in schools. The ventilation is usually cut off. And employees have to work in hot, humid conditions, while having a tight deadline.

Tribute to all housekeeping staff

In all buildings in Canada and other spaces elsewhere in the world, we need housekeeping. It is therefore a very important profession for me. A great way to support them is to offer them training. They then feel valued and can in turn have the chance to improve themselves. So, this morning, I just want to pay tribute to them, while greeting my former employees, whom I still think of so much. I hope you are all well, I miss you. I send you a big hug and wish you a wonderful day filled with smiles!

Lydia xxx