Spotless to face tough questions at Annual General Meeting

At today’s Annual General Meeting, Spotless Board Members will be facing tough questions by investors and shareholders over its rejection of the Pacific Equity Partner’s nearly $700 million bid for control of the group.

Louise Tarrant, National Secretary of United Voice, the cleaners’ union, said:

“Investors and shareholders are obviously concerned about the company’s underperformance and wondering if there’s enough value in the way the company is currently being run,” Ms Tarrant said.

“Spotless is in desperate need of sensible management. Their current business strategy is causing unnecessary risk to their business and brand alike.”

“The company’s lack of foresight is evident in the way they treat their workforce. Spotless is the leader in the retail cleaning industry, but the industry is trapped in a race to the bottom.”

“In retail cleaning, contractors are undercutting each other to win contracts, meaning essentials—like money to pay for adequate staffing hours, decent equipment and liveable wages—are lost. This is not a sustainable system, and it risks cleaning standards, as well as cleaners’ livelihoods.”

“Cleaners are a vulnerable workforce, largely made up of older workers, many of whom are migrants. Cleaners and community supporters, including the Uniting Church, will be reaching out directly to shareholders at today’s AGM, sharing their stories and asking them to join the cleaners in asking Spotless tough questions about their decision-making.”

“Cleaners are hoping to have productive conversations with shareholders and investors in their mutual alignment of interest. There’s a lot of value in Spotless, but it’s clear that the current management are not unlocking this value.”

The rejection of Pacific Equity Partner’s decision to purchase the company comes as retail cleaners’ ballot to take strike action at 16 shopping centres across the country. The ballot for industrial action is a result of Spotless’ continual disregard to their workforce and the public whose safety is ensured by the cleaners’ hard work.

“Cleaners are dedicated to their work and to shoppers, but they’ve been forced to prepare for industrial action during the busy Christmas period so that Spotless will finally engage with the issues faced by their workforce and the industry,” Ms Tarrant said.

The ballot for industrial action closes on 22 November. Shopping centres that will take action include Westfield Centrepoint and Westfield Mt Druitt (NSW), Sunshine Plaza and Kawana Shoppingworld (QLD), Westfield Tea Tree Plaza (SA) and Westfield Doncaster, Chadstone the Fashion Capital and Epping Plaza Regional Shopping Centre (VIC), as well as 8 others.

Media contact: Sarah Hoque, Media Officer, 0425 242 691