Cleaners clean up

NSW school cleaners will have a key role in ensuring a $200 
million contract delivers healthy schools. Cleaners will be 
joined by employers and government representatives at a 
conference held just days before the cut off date for the 
lucrative state cleaning contract.

The contract is responsible for keeping over 2000 schools, TAFE 
colleges and other state agencies clean.

Earlier this year school cleaners won an important campaign to 
protect their jobs and working conditions. The conference has 
been set down to ensure that the new contract addresses health 
and safety concerns of cleaners and school communities.

"This conference is about making sure our schools are clean and 
our educational environments are safe and that our cleaners are 
safe", said Jim Lloyd, president of the cleaner's union, the 
Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers' Union. "While the 
contract cleaning industry is endemically non-compliant with 
legal requirements, including awards, cleaners will make sure 
that companies are compliant with this contract.

Issues such as asthma, occupational health and safety and "green" 
buildings will be addressed along with presentations by a range 
of experts. The conference, entitled "Cleaners and the Health of 
our Schools", is being sponsored by the LHMU.