Cleaners Fight For Jobs

Illawarra Mercury

Saturday July 10, 2004

CLEANERS at Illawarra schools, police stations, courthouses and RTA offices will embark on a rolling campaign of industrial action to protect their jobs from proposed new cleaning contracts.

Union delegates representing 1000 Illawarra government cleaners met yesterday to organise protest rallies over the State Government's new contracts.

After a review of the cleaning contract system, the Government last month announced it planned to let contracts to the lowest bidder within each of the 10 NSW education regions.

The new contracts would be set up to allow sites to choose optional cleaning services.

NSW Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union regional organiser Bryan Smith said the proposed changes would mean a reduction in cleaners' jobs, hours and wages.

"The Carr Government is trying to take away the award entitlements of government contract cleaners," he said.

"The changes will allow subcontracting which will be a disaster. It will allow different contractors in TAFEs, schools, police stations, courthouses and the RTA.

"They offer no guarantee of employment to existing cleaners and under the changes, hours and wages could be cut."

Mr Smith said ultimately it was the customers - including school students and police officers - who would suffer.

"Less cleaners working less hours means dirtier buildings," he said.

Mr Smith said rallies outside Illawarra politicians' offices had been planned over the next month. He said further meetings included at the Illawarra Master Builders Club on July 22; at Moss Vale Services Club and Goulburn Workers Club on July 26; and at the Shoalhaven Ex Servicemen's Club on July 27.