Government
When the Deputy Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, told cleaners in July that, "the Australian Government is going to join the Clean Start Campaign," she was as good as her word.
The Labor government's contribution to the campaign was the creation of a new Procurement Consultation Committee. This committee is to advise the Federal Government on procurement of the approximately $24 billion it spends on property and services every year.
As Julia explained it to members on the day of the announcement, "The Australian Government obviously has many office buildings which require cleaning, and when we contract with the companies that clean those buildings, we will be part of the Clean Start Campaign to make sure that the people who come and do that cleaning are treated well."
And how do they make sure they get those principles right? They made sure two of the six member committee are from unions and that one, Lyndal Ryan, is from United Voice – the cleaner's union.
As Lyndal said on her first day on the Committee,
"This Committee is part of the Federal Government's commitment to ensure taxpayers' money is not spent on dodgy work practices. The Australian Government is in a uniquely powerful position to support fair, cooperative and productive workplaces because of its tremendous spending power.
"The Fair Work Principles and the Australian Government Procurement Statement singled out the contract cleaning industry as having a history of underpayment, exploitation and unsafe work practices.
"It is timely that the first meeting of the Committee is taking place during Anti-Poverty Week because cleaners have been campaigning to end poverty in contract cleaning with the Clean Start fair deal for cleaners' campaign.
"Setting clear standards which must be met to be eligible to provide goods and services to the Government is a great step forward for cleaners and for other low paid Australian workers."
