Cleaners at Chadstone have official word to strike

CLEANERS at Chadstone Shopping Centre have the official word to walk off the job leading into the Christmas shopping rush over a wages and conditions dispute.

Employees of cleaning contract company Spotless said they were down to their “last option” in a continuing battle for fairer working conditions after union negotiations broke down in September.

Fair Work Australia has given Spotless cleaners permission to strike.

Union delegate Gamal Babiker (pictured) has been a cleaner at Chadstone since 2000 and said conditions had steadily worsened over the past five years.

He said cleaners were prepared to walk off the job during Christmas shopping.

Mr Babiker said budgets for training and health and safety had been cut as shopping centres pushed for tighter contracts.

“It is not just a money issue for us,” Mr Babiker said.

He said Spotless and shopping centre owners cited difficult economic conditions in order to make cuts to cleaning contracts.

“(But) shopping centres get bigger and bigger every day,” he said.

Mr Babiker said cleaners in CBD high-rise buildings and at Melbourne Airport had won new deals, but shopping centre cleaners had missed out.

Spotless group public affairs manager Kerrina Lawrence said the United Voice cleaning union should be targeting sham cleaning contractors who paid staff cash in hand, rather than reputable companies that paid the award or above it.

Ms Lawrence encouraged the union to apply to Fair Work Australia for an increase in the wage standard.

“The award has ensured three wage increases for cleaners in the past 18 months, including a wage increase on July 1, 2011,” Ms Lawrence said.

She said even if cleaners walked off the job, the centre would remain clean.

United Voice assistant state secretary Ben Redford said cleaners wanted fair pay and enough time to do their jobs properly.

Chadstone management did not respond to questions before deadline.

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