The Downward Spiral of Public Procurement

<p>&quot;The biggest problem is that they choose the lowest bid. That ends up being paid by the worker.&quot;</p><p>Our taxes might be used to exploit cleaners through public contracts. But how does it work, who is responsible for this, and what can we do about it?</p><p>In this episode, we follow the money. We expose how &quot;public procurement&quot;—the system by which governments award cleaning contracts—has created a race to the bottom. When contracts go to the cheapest bidder, the savings come from one place only: workers&#39; wages, hours, and dignity.</p><p>In this episode, we hear from:🇫🇮<strong>Niina Autio</strong> from Finland, a cleaner and team leader who has worked in schools, museums, and police stations. She describes the &quot;ethical stress&quot; of watching colleagues lose negotiated salaries and holiday pay when contracts change hands—and why the &quot;cheapest offer is not the best offer.&quot;</p><p>🇪🇸<strong>Natalia Higueras Lopez</strong> from Spain, a cleaner for 18 years, always under outsourced public contracts. She explains how Spain&#39;s high rate of temporary employment traps cleaners in part-time, precarious jobs—and why the &quot;lowest bid&quot; means fewer staff, no replacements for sick leave, and chronic fatigue.</p><p>📚<strong>Dr. Karen Jaehrling</strong>, labour researcher and contributor to the ProcuFair project. She explains how public authorities have the power to set fair conditions—and why simply writing good rules isn&#39;t enough; monitoring is essential.</p><p>🇧🇪<strong>Joost Engelaar</strong>, Regional Secretary at the Belgian Union ABVV Brussels (FGTB), who led a national campaign to stop the race to the bottom. He describes mobilising cleaners at the airport, in schools, and on small sites—and why collective action can force clients to &quot;procure responsibly.&quot;</p><p>🔔<strong>Subscribe now</strong> and join us every week as we bring to the forefront the hidden stories behind Europe’s most essential workforce who hardly get any credit.</p><p><em>🎧Unsung Cleaners</em> is a podcast by UNI Europa, co-funded by the European Commission. The show is produced by <strong>Seden Anlar</strong>. Interviews and narration by <strong>Gail Rego</strong>. Project coordination and interpretation by <strong>Alessia Mora</strong> and <strong>Mark Bergfeld</strong>. Special thanks to all the cleaners and union organisers who shared their stories as well as Katharine Shaw Nelson for dubbing.</p>