Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Aug 04, 2025

Cleaner's angry resignation note sparks flood of support

Cleaner's angry resignation note sparks flood of support

A resignation note left by a cleaner for her boss has gone viral on Twitter, with people speaking out against the poor treatment of support staff.

Julie Cousins walked out of her job as a cleaner for HSBC last Friday after 35 years, according to her son Joe.

In her note, the 67-year-old wrote that she was leaving due to being "dressed down" in the office by a manager.

HSBC told the BBC it could not comment on individual personnel issues but was working to understand what happened.

Ms Cousins wrote in the note that the treatment she experienced was "nothing more than aggressive and cruel".

"So going forward, please all of you remember - in a world when you can be anything, be kind, because you are all no better than the cleaner."


She told the Mail Online that she was retiring, and that although some people might think it was "just a little cleaning job", she had relied on the work during the five years she spent at the HSBC branch.

Ms Cousins stressed that she felt cleaners were often "forgotten" by others in the workplace.

She added that she decided to leave after the upsetting incident with the manager, as she wanted to work with people she felt comfortable with.

Her son's Twitter post sharing Ms Cousins' resignation note struck a chord on the social network, attracting more than 3,000 comments.

Many users said their parents, children and colleagues had been treated badly working in support staff roles such as cleaners, caretakers, janitors, security guards and receptionists.


"When interviewing people for jobs, I always asked the reception staff how they were treated by the candidate. A few failed the 'attitude test'," said Tim, a retired businessman and engineer in the West Midlands.

Cleaner Tracy Sadler said that she "loved" the note that Mrs Cousins wrote.

"I am a cleaner [with] three part-time jobs, and sometimes people can be cruel," she wrote on Twitter.

"We as cleaners have kept this world and all their buildings and shops and homes clean - cleaners matter also."


Multiple users said that that it was important to make an effort to chat to cleaners and other support staff in the workplace, treating them as colleagues, rather than inferior workers.

They added that doing so led to a pleasant working environment, a sense of camaraderie, and even cleaner offices to work in.

Trades Union Congress general secretary Frances O'Grady told the BBC: "Cleaners have played a vital role during this pandemic keeping workplaces and public spaces safe, often at great personal risk.

"Employers and the government must do more to value the contribution these overlooked key workers make."

She added that more needed to be done to improve pay and conditions: "It's not right that so many cleaning staff are on low pay and insecure contracts."

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
×