Stakes Raised in Shopping Centre War
07 Dec 2011
Last week, in response to protected industrial action by cleaners, Spotless raised the stakes, docking cleaners’ pay for an entire day and refusing to allow them to do their jobs, just for wearing a union t-shirt for two hours.
But, in spite of Spotless’ heartless reaction, cleaners around the country will be taking more actions Thursday and Friday, with community groups holding rallies and supporting them, to show Spotless that the stakes might have been raised—but cleaners and their communities are ready to fight.
“Spotless’ reaction is unprofessional, gratuitous and overblown,” Louise Tarrant, National Secretary of United Voice, the cleaners’ union, said.
“This is a company that has spent a year ignoring the problems their employees were trying to express. Now they have overreacted, showing that not only do they not care about their workers; they don’t care about looking rational, either.”
“Cleaners around the country are suffering due to high workloads and poverty wages. Could you raise a family on $600 a week?”
“Spotless keeps saying the award is good enough; that it’s enough for a family. It’s clearly not true. Cleaners are standing together and taking industrial action to ensure cleaner shopping centres and liveable wages.”
“What about their employees living in poverty leads Spotless to believe that locking people out is the best and most appropriate response to a cleaner wearing a different shirt for a few hours?”
“This is a callous company that suffers from a lack of long-term vision, often acting impulsively and hastily.”
“Spotless seems to believe that demeaning their employees will make this fight go away. They’re wrong.”
“Cleaners are standing up to Spotless, and they’re asking wealthy corporations to do their part for their communities and their shopping centres.”
“They’re asking Westfield and Colonial First State to actually do the right thing by the cleaners that work so hard to ensure that shoppers return to their centres.”
“That’s the missing piece—cleaners keep shoppers returning. Cleaners ensure quality spaces for families and shoppers. And cleaners want to be able to do the job they love.”
“They just need cleaning companies like Spotless and shopping centre owners like Westfield to see the light.”
Find us elsewhere: