United Voice News
MP Nathan Rees supports KEEP IT CLEAN campaign
Member for Toongabbie Nathan Rees has given his support to NSW school cleaners by signing a “KEEP IT CLEAN for our schools’ future” postcard.
LHMU activist and cleaner Margaret Downes met with the former NSW premier and says he "agreed with everything". "He seems to think everything we were asking for was reasonable and we should not have a problem [winning them]."
She says sick leave and portability of long service leave are important to her. With the former, Margaret says because cleaners are working around kids, they could catch something off them, "and if we get sick on top of that, there are not many [sick] days" left if they could not rely on accumulated sick leave. "We need something to fall back on," she says.
With the latter, Margaret says she had worked seven years as a government cleaner and lost that long service leave when the contract changed. "They paid us out, but I had to start all over again." And being able to take that leave is important to her because she wants to spend some quality time with her sick husband.
Margaret says she went to lobby her local MP because "how else do you fight?". "We're up against the government so we're only asking the government to help us. The [cleaning] companies don’t care. So it is important [we lobby our MPs and Ministers]."
NSW school cleaners continue meeting their local MPs this month. To lend your support, contact the Member Service Centre on 1800 805 027 to pick up some campaign postcards for friends and family to sign!
