About this episode

This episode explores the daily lives of cleaners in Europe, highlighting their essential yet often overlooked work.

"The only time people notice what a cleaner does is when she doesn't do it." They disinfect hospital wards, scrub office floors, and sanitise the spaces we all rely on. Yet cleaners are among the most invisible workers in Europe. In this first episode, we pull back the curtain on a typical day in the life of a cleaner. From the marble corridors of the European Parliament to a high-dependency hospital unit in Ireland, we hear what it really means to do essential work that almost no one sees. In this episode, we hear from: 🧹 Hayat Elhore , a cleaner at the European Parliament in Brussels, union representative, and mother who fought for daytime cleaning. She shares what it's like to clean a building that symbolises democracy—while often being treated as invisible. 🏥 Lisa Stenson , a hospital cleaner in Ireland with over 16 years of experience. She explains the pride of cleaning life-saving equipment like incubators, the terror of being assigned to the first COVID ward, and why cleaners are "skilled workers" who deserve to be paid properly. 📖 Véronique Achille-Revillod , General Secretary of CFDT Services and author of "Essential, If Essential&quot…

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