Deregulated Cleaning A Job Threat To Migrants

Illawarra Mercury

Wednesday July 21, 2004

By DAVID CRAWSHAW

MORE than 6000 cleaners in NSW - many of them migrant workers in their 50s - could lose their jobs under a Carr Government plan to deregulate cleaning contracts, a union said yesterday.

Angry cleaners rallied outside the Corrimal office of Minister for the Illawarra David Campbell in their attempt to stop a new contract system being introduced which they say will consign them to the scrapheap.

The Government has reviewed its cleaning contracts for schools, police stations, courthouses and other public offices, and proposes allowing multiple contracts to be let in 10 education regions.

Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers' Union regional organiser Bryan Smith said the new contracts, to come into effect in October next year, would reduce job security.

"Eight-hour shifts will be reduced to four-hour shifts," he said.

"This will put approximately 50 per cent of the cleaners in the Illawarra on the scrapheap."

Students would have dirtier schools because their premises would be cleaned less frequently, he said.

Mariangela Guido, who works mornings cleaning the State Emergency Service office and afternoons at West Wollongong TAFE, said she would "probably lose the two hours in the afternoon" and have her morning shifts reduced.

Mrs Guido said Centrelink had told her she would be sent to retraining courses.

"But I'm 57 already," she said.

"My English isn't the best, and you have to read, write and whatever (to find new employment)."

Mr Campbell was in Sydney when the cleaners demonstrated on his doorstep, but later said he was happy to listen to their concerns.

A spokesman for Commerce Minister John Della Bosca admitted there was no guarantee cleaners would keep their existing jobs.

"But if they have the skills and the experience, they are ideally placed to be re-employed," he said. It would be up to each contractor to decide on staffing levels and shift times.

The Government dismissed the union's claims that cleaners would be paid at below award rates, saying the contracts stipulated that contractors had to abide by award obligations.

The cleaners will meet in Wollongong, Moss Vale, Goulburn and Nowra during the next week to discuss their concerns.