United Voice

"For the first time in many years, cleaners who work in Australia's office buildings have something to celebrate on International Cleaners' Day," says Louise Tarrant, National Secretary of LHMU - The cleaners' union.

"After three long years of campaigning, in just two weeks time the Clean Start Collective Agreement will come into effect in city buildings across the country. This Agreement will bring better wages and conditions for cleaners, as well as a new cleaning industry standard for building owners and tenants.

"Cleaners are especially pleased that major banks and property owners support the new standards, which will roll out in office towers in capital cities around Australia from 1 July. It's great that from that day cleaners working in office towers owned by the Commonwealth Bank, for example, will receive fair pay, improved job security, better hours and conditions under the Clean Start Agreement.

"This Agreement comes after three long years of campaigning by cleaners as part of the Clean Start campaign. Thirty-five cleaning companies, representing the majority of the cleaning industry nationally, have now signed on to the Clean Start Collective Agreement. This means that over 60% of office space in major CBDs around the country will now be cleaned by Responsible Cleaning Companies and that cleaners working in those office towers will get a fair deal and the respect they deserve.

"That's why office cleaners around Australia are celebrating today," says Louise Tarrant.

For too long many cleaners have worked under unfair and unreasonable working conditions. These include:

· Unreasonable workloads - cleaning around 1,000 square metres of office space an hour – that’s the equivalent of four suburban homes!
· Short shifts - many are currently as short as 2 hour. Cleaners are often forced to take on second and third jobs so they can earn enough money to support their families.
· Low pay - office cleaners work part time shifts earning just 27% ($302 per week) of the average wage ($1,137 per week). They earn in a year what a major CEO earns in one day!
· Insufficient time to do their work properly - cleaners are the front line in any response to pandemics such as the current Swine Flu crisis. Yet, cleaners are often forced to leave offices dirty and toilets unsanitary – more than half of cleaners say they aren’t given enough time to do their jobs properly.

What the Clean Start Collective Agreement delivers to cleaners:

· reasonable workloads
· four hour minimum shifts
· job security at change of contract
· fair leave
· annual wage increases of between 4-8% over four years
· proper induction and on-the-job training
· effective dispute resolution procedures