Support NSW cleaners
NSW cleaners — members of the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers' Union (LHMU) — are furious that a Labor Government is putting their job security at risk. Cleaners who work in local schools, on TAFE campuses, in police stations and MPs' electorate offices are campaigning to stop the Carr Government introducing its 2005 plans which attack nearly 7000 low-wage workers' jobs. What the cleaners want: * An offer of employment from all new incoming contractors (as happened in the last two contracts) * Maintenance of their hours of work. This should be possible given that the government says it is happy with the cleaning standard and does not see much opportunity for reduction of hours * No subcontracting, which LHMU members rightly fear will lead to cleaners being ripped off. Subcontracting has never previously been allowed * Maintenance of worksites in the contract so that job security is not undermined by Departments opting out * Contracts let to be of a reasonable size so that the companies involved have proper systems in place, i.e. payroll, injury prevention, training, OH&S etc. As it currently stands, when the contract changes in 2005 there will be no way to ensure job security. Union members are concerned decisions will be made on discriminatory and prejudicial grounds. Incoming contractors will favour younger cleaners, cleaners who have never been injured and cleaners who have good English language skills. The new contract will not commence until October 2005. However, the critical decisions are being made now. Parents won't volunteer NSW public school parents are telling Premier Bob Carr he should not expect them to volunteer and help out in the cleaning of local schools if the State Government goes ahead with a plan to cut back cleaning contracts in 2005. In an opinion poll just completed, 88 percent of already over- stretched parents said it was unreasonable to ask them to help clean their children's schools. "Imagine it", said Annie Owens, NSW LHMU Cleaners Union Secretary, "a parent rushes home from work, has dinner, drops the kids off at footy training and then goes in to wash the windows in the kid's classroom. "No wonder people think it is unreasonable, the community is already complaining about the unfair work-life balance they are trying to maintain — now Bob Carr's Government wants to pile on more demands." E-mail protest The LHMU has launched a protest e-mail campaign to give the community an opportunity to voice their discontent about these cleaning contract proposals directly to the Premier, the responsible Minister, John Della Bosca and the Education Minister and Deputy Premier, Dr Refshauge at NSW Parliament House, Macquarie St, Sydney or go to the union's website: http://www.lhmu.org.au