Workers taken to cleaners, says union
30 Nov 2011
By Dan O'Sullivan From: Wyndham Weekly MAJOR shopping centres in Wyndham are facing the prospect of no cleaners as the festive season approaches, with workers for contracting giant Spotless voting overwhelmingly in support of industrial action.
While Spotless has pledged that its shopping centres will remain clean and tidy, cleaners at Werribee Plaza and Hoppers Crossing shopping centre are eyeing off the Christmas period as an ideal time to take a stand against what they perceive to be an unfair pay offer.
"Right now, hundreds of cleaners are condemned to poverty wages and brutal workloads, but Spotless refuses to talk to them about safe workloads and a living wage," United Voice state secretary Jess Walsh said.
"Cleaners have no option but to take strike action to get Spotless to take them seriously, which is why they have voted overwhelmingly to take strike action."
Ms Walsh said cleaners working at major shopping centres across Melbourne were struggling to raise their families on as little as $16.57 an hour.
Spotless spokeswoman Kerrina Lawrence said the union should focus attention more on the sham operators who had infiltrated the industry.
"Sadly the union continues to target Spotless which offers job security, training and legislative entitlements while other cleaners languish on cash-in-hand and wages less than the award.
"Sham operators often pay their cleaners cash in hand, do not pay penalty rates and deny sick leave, superannuation and other entitlements."
Werribee Plaza centre manager Martin McEnallay said communication with Spotless remained open.
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