United Voice News
Education Minister Verity Firth's support remains strong
NSW Education Minister and member for Balmain Verity Firth continues to be a strong supporter of NSW cleaners, last Friday signing a postcard for cleaners to win a fairer cleaning contract.
LHMU activist and cleaner at Leichardt Campus Patrick Byrne says he enjoyed meeting with the Minister. "She was very impressive and seems very sincere. She answered all our questions very well."
Patrick together with fellow school cleaner from Abbotsford High Ana Zubieta met Minister Firth today and spoke about the five things cleaners wanted in the next government cleaning contract. These included portability of long service leave, a sick leave safety net for all, job security, fair funding, and an effective voice for cleaners.
Patrick says job security is very important to him. "We need job security. Most of the time when the contract changes - a lot of older people - they [the new contractors] don’t keep them on. [The government] needs to make sure we have job security for the next contract," he says. "And it needs to maintain our hours [in the contract]."
Minister Firth said she had spoken to Premier Kristina Keneally who was very supportive of ensuring cleaners' job security. She says as a Labor Government we "don't want any job losses” as a result of a change in contract.
Minister Firth attended the NSW school cleaners' conference late last year to listen to school cleaners' stories. Since then she has written to former IR Minister John Hatzistergos, and current IR Minister John Robertson, to ask them to set up a portability of long service leave scheme for contract cleaners.
School cleaners are knocking on MPs doors all throughout Term 2. Want to support NSW school cleaners? Contact the Member Service Centre on 1800 805 027 for some postcards to get friends and family to sign.
