United Voice

An industrial dispute between low-paid airport cleaners and their employer Spotless has become increasingly bitter as the cleaning giant effectively locked out workers this morning in a desperate attempt to break rolling strike action across Melbourne and Avalon airports.

Cleaners responsible for hygiene and sanitation at Qantas’s maintenance base at Avalon Airport had planned to take part in bans on the cleaning of toilets and other areas as part of a wider dispute across Melbourne’s two main airports. 

But in response their employer has refused to pay them for the entire day, effectively locking them out. 

“Spotless’s actions are obviously a desperate attempt to break a strike that is having an impact on hygiene and cleanliness at Avalon and Melbourne Airports,” says Ben Redford, Assistant Victorian Secretary of United Voice, the Cleaners Union. 

“These cleaners are among the lowest-paid workers in the country — most are paid just $16.50 an hour — so denying them a day’s pay as punishment for exercising their legitimate and legal right to strike is a harsh blow,” Redford says. 

“Instead of sitting down and talking this through with their cleaners, Spotless is using  a drastic and heavy-handed tactic on people who simply want to be able to pay their bills and support their families. This is only serving to make Spotless cleaners even more determined to win a fair pay deal,” Redford says. 

Cleaners at Avalon Airport and the Qantas domestic terminal at Melbourne Airport began indefinite, rolling stoppages on Friday. They are fighting for an annual $1600 allowance that other cleaners working at Melbourne Airport are already paid. 

“For weeks, Spotless has been saying that strike action by cleaners will have no impact, but locking out workers shows that the contractor is clearly worried now,” Redford says. “It’s time for Spotless to come back to the bargaining table and sort this out.” 

Court documents reveal that cleaning contractor Spotless expects passengers could face filthy and unhygienic conditions from the ongoing strike action. 

In a hearing before Fair Work Australia, Con Baltatzis, state operations manager for Spotless, admitted that strike action by cleaners could have a “dramatic” impact on cleanliness at the airport. 

Asked in court about the impact of a one-hour stoppage, Baltatzis said: “It could be dramatic, depending on the traffic... toilets get missed, you've got filthy toilets, you've got people complaining.” 

 He added that passengers could also see urine on the floor and overflowing bins. “There could be a huge impact on the toilets. It’s not rocket science,” Baltatzis said. 

 Redford says: “Families using Melbourne Airport this school holidays are going to be facing disruption simply because Spotless will not pay its cleaners the same allowance as other cleaners doing the same job in the same airport.” 

 “Judging by Spotless’s admissions in court, they also appear to believe travellers should avoid the toilets in Melbourne Airport and go on the plane or before they leave home.” 

 The contractor also admitted in court that it used a “shadow workforce” to try and break the strikes, prompting United Voice to call in the airport security watchdog to investigate potential security breaches. 

Further info: Adam Cathro, United Voice, Media Officer, 0413 239 665