United Voice

Cleaners at Melbourne Airport will meet their employer, Spotless, for urgent crisis talks in a last-ditch bid to avert a strike that could see passengers hit with filthy toilets, piles of rubbish and dirty food courts within days.

Yesterday, an Australian Electoral Commission ballot of cleaners returned 95 per cent support for industrial action, after Spotless told them they should be paid $1600 less than other cleaners at Melbourne Airport. A strike could begin in as little as three working days.

But cleaners working in the Qantas domestic terminal want to avoid industrial action, and are urging Spotless to pay them the same as cleaners doing the same jobs in the Virgin and international terminals.

“Airport cleaners have been trying to reach an agreement with Spotless since April,” says Ben Redford, Assistant Victorian Secretary of United Voice, the Cleaners Union. “But Spotless have refused to pay them the same as other cleaners in the airport.”

“Now the cleaners are meeting with Spotless to give it one last chance to agree to pay them fairly and avert a strike that is going to severely disrupt the airport,” Redford says.

Airport cleaners have met with Spotless four times. Initially, Spotless refused to even meet, but was ordered to do so by Fair Work Australia following a majority-support determination.

“This is Spotless’s chance to finally do the right thing. The ball is in their court. Spotless holds the key to stopping this strike right now and preventing any inconvenience to air travellers,” he adds.

Proposed actions include partial stop-work actions to a full indefinite strike, as well as bans on cleaning and related duties like replacing toilet rolls and emptying bins. Airport cleaners are to meet soon to decide on what action to take.

“More than 55,000 passengers pass through Melbourne Airport every day, so bins must be emptied, toilets must be cleaned and toilet rolls must be replaced,” Redford says.

“With tens of thousands of people passing through the airport every day, it’s going to get very unpleasant very quickly if Spotless’s stance forces cleaners to strike.”

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 stripped away during the award-modernisation process.

But Spotless is refusing to reinstate the airport allowance, worth $1600 a year, which cleaners rely on to help cover transport costs. Its cleaners are forced to pay for petrol, parking and to maintain a car because there is no reasonably priced public transport.

“As most passengers would know, Melbourne Airport can be very expensive to get to and from. Until recently cleaners were paid an allowance for that, and they just want it back.”

“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.

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