Cleaners dirty over pay

CLEANERS at Epping Plaza and eight other shopping centres in Victoria will vote on industrial action against their contractor, Spotless, this month.

Strikes could take place during the busy Christmas period.

Cleaners’ union United Voice said workers were underpaid and suffered emotional breakdowns due to staff shortages and cost cutting. The union’s state assistant secretary Ben Redford said Spotless cleaners were paid just $16.50 an hour.

“Cleaners want Spotless to acknowledge their hard work with fair pay and to take pressure off their impossible workloads by giving them the time they need to do their jobs properly,” Mr Redford said.

Cleaner Aaron Hoskin said he struggled to make ends meet with his $600 weekly salary.

The 37-year-old single father said he was ready to strike for better working conditions.

“If the tables are filthy and the toilets are disgusting, no one would go (to the Plaza),” he said.

“I’d be happy to get $750.

“I don’t have time for a second job, I have to go home and cook tea for my daughter.

“My daughter wants to do gymnastics but I can’t afford that.”

Spotless spokeswoman Kerrina Lawrence said the company paid cleaners award wages and shopping centres would remain clean and open for business if a strike went ahead.

“All shifts will be fully staffed,” Ms Lawrence said.

“Any industrial action by cleaners will have no impact on Christmas shopping and will only impact striking cleaners with lost wages.”

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