Cleaners' strike could hit Stockland Wendouree
22 Dec 2011
BY EVAN SCHUURMAN, The Courier, CLEANERS at a major Ballarat shopping centre are threatening to walk off the job just as the Christmas rush reaches fever pitch, but the cleaning company in charge says shoppers will not be affected.
United Voice, the union which represents workers for contracting giant Spotless, yesterday issued a press release claiming shoppers could find toilets and food courts closed at Stockland Wendouree today, among a number of Victorian centres.
United Voice say that cleaners have announced plans for “two 24-hour strikes, which could hit any of 11 of Victoria’s busiest shopping centres over December 23 and 24”.
They say cleaners are demanding that Spotless put a stop to “brutal workloads and poverty pay”.
“Over the last two full days of Christmas shopping, many cleaners will be on strike. Obviously these are the two busiest shopping days of the year, so toilets and food courts could get very dirty very quickly – and may even need to be closed altogether,” said Ben Redford, assistant state secretary of United Voice.
The union did not specify which shopping centres would be directly affected, only that strikes could occur at any of the 11 centres, which also includes Chadstone and Hoppers Crossing shopping centres, and Corio Village in Geelong.
Spotless yesterday downplayed the threats, saying they occurred regularly and were largely ineffective. A Spotless spokeswoman told The Courier Ballarat shoppers would not be affected.
“The norm is one hour of stop work action in 24 hours which has no impact on shopping centre cleanliness. Shoppers have not been impacted in the past and shopping centres have remained open and clean,” she said.
“Why doesn’t the union go after fly-by-night companies that pay cash-in-hand and don’t provide safe work clothes and protective equipment.”
She said Spotless had passed on three wage increases over the last 18 months. Stockland Wendouree centre manager Stevie Wright said she was confident the dispute would not impact upon Christmas shopping.
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