Last Straw for Cleaners
29 Nov 2011
By MELISSA MERRETT Whittlesea Leader CLEANERS at Epping Plaza will join their Spotless colleagues in strike action.
More than 90 per cent of cleaners working for contractor Spotless have voted to take industrial action during the busiest shopping season at nine shopping centres.
Cleaner Aaron Hoskin told the Leader last week 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.
Cleaners’ union United Voice state secretary Jess Walsh said Spotless workers wanted improvements in their workload, safety and wages.
“Cleaners in our shopping malls are taking action because they are under extreme pressure as Spotless cuts back the time that the cleaners need to clean properly,” Ms Walsh said.
“Spotless boasts that it pays the award minimum to its hard-working cleaners, but the award is meant to be no more than a safety net for workers who are not in a position to bargain with their employers.”
The union says Spotless cleaners are paid $16.50 an hour.
Epping Plaza centre manager Colleen Bell said the centre would not comment on the looming industrial action.
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