Cleaners Call For More Time

Contractor’s greed has blamed for school cleaners being given unrealistic workloads and cleaners are calling on the NSW Government to resolve the issue.

"Cleaning needs a proper amount of time to complete," says school cleaner Sylvia Cullen of Goulburn. "There is not enough time to do a proper job. The cleaners are dedicated and are pushing themselves to complete the job."

"Workers comp claims are up in schools because of people pushing themselves. They're stressed because they can't do their job. [the cleaning] is less of a standard than what it should be."

Cullen believes that the contractors are taking short cuts and pocketing the difference.

She has also called for the proper equipment to be supplied to "do the job properly".

Cullen, a single mother, works shifts from 2am to 6am at the Goulburn Police Academy and backs up for a shift from 1.30pm to 6.30pm at Mulwaree High School in Goulburn.

With the Government Cleaning Contract up for renewal before next year's Budget the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Employees Union (LHMU) is pressing the government over purchasing policy, especially in relation to the allocation of government contracts.

The cleaners are demanding no more cuts to hours, security in the job if a different contractor comes in, the ability to transfer of entitlements where the contractor changes, retention of the sick leave safety net for former government employed cleaners and sufficient equipment and supplies to do the job properly.

To discuss this and many other interesting OH & S topics visit our discussion boards at http://unionsafe.labor.net.au/shoptalk/

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Last modified: Tuesday, 15-Nov-2005 20:37:36 EST