Cutback to cleaners hours put shoppers health at risk
10 Dec 2011
By: Nathan Mawby From: Herald Sun FILTHY conditions in Melbourne's biggest retail centres could expose Christmas shoppers to bad bacteria.
The cleaners' union, United Voice, claims gift hunters are at risk when the same mops are being used to clean toilets and food areas, and food court tables are wiped down with the same cloth and water for over two hours.
Cleaners at many of the biggest shopping centres fear cutbacks to their hours have left them too little time to do their jobs and will leave Victorian's exposed to a pre-Christmas epidemic.
Gail Anthony, a cleaner at Fountain Gate, yesterday said she feared for the mums taking their children shopping.
United Voice is claiming Spotless, which employs cleaners though most of Victoria's major shopping centres, isn't leaving staff time to do their jobs properly and putting customers at risk in centres including Chadstone, Werribee Plaza and Westfield Doncaster.
Images and video footage purportedly shot by worried cleaners and sent to the Herald Sun show urine-soaked toilet paper strewn across the floor, soiled nappies left on top of overflowing bins and tables covered in discarded food and waste.
Australian Medical Association Victorian president Dr Harry Hemley has advised concerned shoppers to pack hand gel.
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