United Voice News
ACT's childcare professionals and cleaners celebrate
Today is a milestone for a group of workers who work hard providing Canberra’s essential services. It's the first day of the new ACT community sector portable long service leave fund. It is also the tenth anniversary of the commencement of a similar fund for cleaners.
Both schemes provide portable long service leave to workers who missed out on long service leave because the structure of their industries works against them being able to stay with one employer long enough to accrue the leave.
To mark these two important events childcare professionals and cleaners will hold a celebration today at the Legislative Assembly. The celebration will include a special 10th anniversary cake bearing the words “10 years – LSL you can take it with you”.
Lyndal Ryan, ACT Branch Secretary of LHMU says “The first of July 2010 is an important day for LHMU members in the ACT. Our childcare and cleaner members fought long and hard to win portable long service leave. The only other private sector workers who enjoy portable long service leave are construction workers.
“Joy Birch MLA and Wayne Berry, who retired from the Assembly at the last election and who introduced the legislation for cleaners, will join cleaners and childcare professionals to mark this occasion.
“Also at the celebration will be Julie Lofts, one of the childcare professionals who delivered a petition to Government in 2009 seeking the inclusion of childcare in the community service long service leave scheme and cleaner Christine Wagland. Ms Wagland was part of the six year campaign by cleaners to win the scheme. Both will be available for interview.
“Inspired by their fellow members’ success, LHMU aged care members are now organising for the extension of portability provisions to their work.
“Like their colleagues in childcare, aged care workers work hard caring for our community for pay and entitlements which do not fairly represent their professionalism or commitment. That’s why they’ll seek a meeting with Minister Gallagher in the near future so they can deliver their own petition for portable long service leave,” says Lyndal Ryan.
Photos - Minister Joy Burch joins LHMU childcare and cleaning members at portable long service leave celebrations held in the Legislative Assembly on 1 July:
Top: (L to R) Janelle Keenan, Joy Burch, Julie Lofts, Katie McCarthy (holding son Callum) and Judy Small
Bottom: (L to R) Fanny Andriolo, Jim Anderson, Joy Burch, Cathy Anderson and Chris Wagland
