United Voice News
Cleaner lobbies Minister Linda Burney for support
School cleaner at Newtown Primary School Grazia Arrancchini met with her local MP and Minister for Community Services Linda Burney yesterday to ask for her support for the "KEEP IT CLEAN for our schools' future" campaign.
Grazia says she was "a bit nervous" meeting with Minister Burney. This was the first time she had lobbied her local MP, she says.
"[The Minister] looked like she really wants to help us. She asked me a few questions. And she said she had heard a lot about school cleaners, about how the companies treated us," Grazia says. "She said she was going to support us."
Grazia spoke about the key things NSW school cleaners wanted included in the new government cleaning contract, such as portability of long service leave, and a sick leave safety net.
She says having a sick leave safety net is very important to her because "we lose everything when new companies come in". "[This] happened last time when I was with Tempo and when Menzies took over," Grazia says. "It's important if I get sick or my family gets sick, then I'll get paid."
Grazia says she has accrued some sick leave now but if the contract changes at the end of the year, "I lose my sick leave".
NSW school cleaners will be knocking on MPs doors throughout Term 2 to ask for their support for a fair school cleaning contract. They are also handing out support postcards for teachers, principals and P&Cs to sign. "Cleaners are important in the school … We need a lot of help and a lot of support," Grazia says.
So get on board and support your school cleaners! Call the Member Service Centre on 1800 805 027 to pick up a few support postcards and get family and friends to sign.
