United Voice News
2009 ACT Golden Toilet Brush award
Today is International Cleaners' Day. This day is celebrated in United States, New Zealand and every Australian Capital City. Today ACT cleaners have reasons to both celebrate and protest.
Each year LHMU - The cleaner’s union marks International Cleaners’ Day by awarding the Golden Toilet Brush Award to the cleaning company or building owner who has ripped off their cleaners - or in the case of this year’s winner – refused to sign the Clean Start Agreement and to deliver a fair deal to cleaners.
The ACT Government’s contracting practices now the best in Australia
“Last year the ACT Government was the Golden Toilet Brush winner. However, over the past twelve months, the Government has completely reformed the way in which cleaning contracts are tendered and managed. The ACT Government’s contracting practices are now the best in Australia,” says Lyndal Ryan, ACT Branch Secretary of the LHMU – The cleaner’s union.
This year’s Golden Toilet Brush winner is: Ultracare Cleaning Services, a local cleaning firm which refuses to sign the Clean Start Agreement. The Clean Start Agreement delivers improved working conditions to the 2,000 cleaners in the ACT including fairer pay, reasonable workloads and 4 hour minimum shifts. It has been fought for by cleaners over the past three years.
Ultracare Cleaning Services cleans a number of Federal Government offices. From 1 July 2009 cleaners working for Ultracare in Federal Government offices will work under significantly inferior employment conditions to those of cleaners in ACT Government Buildings.
Chris Wagland a cleaner in one of the buildings cleaned by a Clean Start Company says, “It is simply unfair that the cleaners who work in buildings only a few metres from the building I clean will be paid so much less than I will for doing the same work.”
Afternoon tea hosted by Senator Kate Lundy
At 3.30pm today Senator Kate Lundy, a long time supporter of cleaners’ Clean Start Campaign, will host an afternoon tea at Parliament House for cleaners and their supporters.
There are still plenty of reasons for ACT cleaners to celebrate. Cleaners working in the ACT for any of the 34 cleaning companies that have signed the Clean Start Agreement will receive much deserved and long awaited improvements to their working conditions under the Clean Start Agreement from 1 July 2009.
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Photos:
Top left - ACT cleaners visiting Parliament House for afternoon tea with Senator Kate Lundy.
Top right - Parliament House cleaner Luzia Borges with Senator Kate Lundy.
