United Voice News
In this issue:
1. Shopping centre cleaners kick off their campaign
2. Defending our Clean Start
3. It pays to speak up
Dear member,
2010 is an exciting time to be a cleaner in Australia.
Last month 6000 cleaners in shopping centres around Australia launched their own Clean Start campaign.
Now shopping centre cleaners are getting together again tonight to talk about the next steps in the campaign — click here for details!
As you’ll read in this e-news, shopping centre cleaners are ready to stand up and fight for respect, fair pay and fair workloads — just as their comrades in the city office buildings did.
You’ll also read how city cleaners are working hard to ensure they protect their historic Clean Start wins. They are united and determined to ensure no contractors push them backwards.
Everywhere cleaners are stepping out of the shadows and speaking up for respect.
Like Shane Templar, at Box Hill TAFE, who enlisted the help of the URC when he suspected he and his workmates were being underpaid.
Day by day cleaners are getting stronger and building more power to win justice across our whole industry.
Shopping centre cleaners are meeting tonight to talk about the next steps in their campaign — click here to join them!
In unity,
Jess Walsh
Secretary,
LHMU Victoria Cleaners Union
Shopping centre cleaners kick off their campaign
Six thousand cleaners across Australia stand up for respect, fair pay and fair workloads
In October cleaners from shopping centres around the country launched their Clean Start — Fair Deal for Shopping Centre Cleaners campaign.
Victorian cleaners and community supporters came together in Melbourne to celebrate the new campaign.
“The launch was great! It was good to see we are supported by the community and union members,” said Northland Shopping Centre delegate, Michael Georgakopoulos.
“And knowing there were launches all around Australia gave us strength and courage.”
Four delegates spoke out about the low pay, impossible workloads, job insecurity and lack of respect that shopping centre cleaners face — and why winning change is so important.
For Michael (pictured, below right), the speeches were inspiring.
“This launch will help cleaners feel more comfortable to speak out — you see others talking about the same problems and it gives you courage to stand up yourself,” he said.
“One day, in the future, maybe we will all be able to express ourselves more freely.”
“What an exciting day for the country’s shopping centre cleaners. With strength and unity they too can win a Clean Start, just like their city comrades have,” said LHMU Victorian Secretary, Jess Walsh.
Shopping Centre Cleaners Member Meeting
Join shopping centre cleaning members at a meeting in Springvale tonight, Tuesday 30 November, at 6.30pm, Springvale Town Hall, 397 – 405 Springvale Road.
Defending our Clean Start
Members are standing up to defend our Clean Start agreement
City cleaning delegates are taking a close look at our Clean Start agreement to make sure it’s being honoured 100 percent.
Mutual delegate Juan Carlos Ballesteros, a member organiser, has urged members to speak up if they are missing out.
“Some cleaners are saying their companies are respecting the agreement but others are saying they are not,” said Juan Carlos.
“Some are not getting their minimum four-hour-shift — the company is breaking the agreement.”
“Cleaners say they feel pressure to do more work because they are competing with subcontractors in their building,” said Swan delegate Jeanette Shepherd.
Members will meet to discuss our audit and an action plan later in the year.
Juan Carlos knows how important it is to defend your rights.
“We can enforce our agreement if we work as a team and keep our sites strong,” he said.
Right now members at his site (pictured) are demanding a new manager honour their Clean Start conditions.
“He has changed everybody’s roster and increased our workloads but not our hours — so we have organised meetings with him to work it out.”
Jeanette believes the best way to defend Clean Start is 100 percent union membership.
“We need to build up membership. That gives us the power to protect our wins.”
It pays to speak up
Box Hill TAFE cleaners win hundreds in back-pay thanks to the URC
When cleaning delegate, Shane Templar noticed a problem with his shift allowance he contacted payroll — but never got a response.
“I sent them an email asking why our shift allowance hasn’t changed for four years,” said Shane.
“I never heard back from them — that’s what they do, just ignore you and hope that it goes away.”
So Shane called the Union Rights Centre for help.
“I pursued it because I thought there was a problem and I knew it would affect more people than me.”
With the help of the URC, Shane and five of his workmates were back-paid a total of more than $1600.
“Because the URC helped me, the company then had to look at everyone’s shift allowance —everyone was very grateful.”
“A couple of guys joined up after that — they realised being in our union was in their best interest.”
Meanwhile, an office cleaning member, who cannot be named because of a confidentiality agreement, won his job back after a traumatic five months out of work.
After taking time off to recover from cancer surgery, the member returned to work to find he had lost his regular site. Eventually, after being moved from site to site, he was no longer offered shifts.
“I felt terrible and at 65 I was very worried I wouldn’t be able to get another job.”
The URC helped him to win back a full-time position and back-pay for his five months out of work.
“I am so relieved and happy I have my job back and I can pay the bills again.”
