United Voice

Footy fans are being warned to brace themselves for a long weekend of filthy toilets, dirty food courts and overflowing bins at Melbourne Airport, as cleaners begin strike action in a fight to win fair pay from their employer, Spotless.

Rolling stoppages are to begin at 5.30am on Friday and continue through the weekend, culminating in a 24-hour strike starting at 10pm on Sunday night.

Cleaners in the Qantas domestic terminal are protesting Spotless’s refusal to reinstate a $1600 airport allowance, which cleaners working for ISS in the Virgin and international terminals receive for doing the very same work.

“Cleaners have done everything they can to avoid strike action, but Spotless simply refuses to pay them the same as the rest of the cleaners working at Melbourne Airport,” says Ben Redford, Assistant Victorian Secretary of United Voice, the Cleaners Union.

“Cleaners are amongst the lowest paid workers in the country, so they absolutely need that $1600 to help pay their bills and raise their families,” Redford says. “They don’t understand why they should be paid less than other cleaners at Melbourne airport, doing the same job.”

Last week, an Australian Electoral Commission ballot of cleaners returned 95 per cent support for industrial action. On Friday, cleaners met Spotless for urgent crisis talks in a last-ditch bid to avert strike action

But Spotless seems hell-bent on forcing a strike, continuing to tell cleaners they should be paid $1600 less than other cleaners at Melbourne Airport.

“Around 55,000 people a day pass through Melbourne Airport, so it needs to be cleaned constantly. And with footy finals starting this weekend, it’s going to be particularly busy.”

West Coast will play Collingwood on Saturday at the MCG, while Sydney meets St Kilda on Sunday at Etihad. In the NRL, Newcastle Knights play Melbourne Storm at AAMI Park.

“If you’re flying in to barrack for your team this weekend, you might want to bring more than just a team scarf and a flag — you should bring some toilet paper and hand sanitiser as well,” Redford says.

“Business travellers departing from or arriving in Melbourne on Monday should come prepared: Go to the toilet before you leave home or use the toilets on the plane.”

In July, airport cleaners working in the international terminal for ISS Cleaning won a new union agreement that provides annual pay increases of four per cent. It also restores an airport allowance that was stripped away during the award-modernisation process.

“Cleaners work hard to make sure Melbourne Airport is hygienic and looks at its best for the travelling public, but they’re being forced to do that essential work for poverty wages.

“And as the cost of living has soared in recent years, it has just got tougher and tougher for our cleaners to provide for their families on their poverty wages,” Redford says.

Airport cleaners employed by Spotless earn as little as $16.57 per hour.

Airport cleaners have met with Spotless four times since April. Initially, it refused to even meet, but Fair Work Australia ordered it to do so via a majority-support determination.

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