Federation congratulates the members of United Voice who recently won their fight to secure the positions of more than 7000 staff who clean public schools and TAFE colleges.
As part of new cleaning contracts being negotiated with the Berejiklian state Government, school cleaners were facing the prospect of being forced to reapply for their jobs, with no guarantee of hours, no job security, and no transfer of existing entitlements.
As part of their win, NSW school cleaners now have:
- locked in a job guarantee for every single NSW cleaner under the Berejiklian Government’s new cleaning contracts, meaning cleaners won’t be forced to reapply for their own jobs
- won an hours guarantee
- won protection of entitlements such as RDOs
- won protections around sub-contracting and implementation of a proactive auditing system, ending the risk of sub-contracting and worker exploitation taking place at our local schools.
“Cleaners are an essential part of the school community,” Federation President Maurie Mulheron said “Their work is crucial to ensure students and teachers have clean and safe learning and working spaces, and can focus on the matter of education.”
“School cleaners deserve job security and full recognition of their entitlements, and these rights have been secured by this win.”
United Voice NSW Branch secretary Mel Gatfield said the start of the 2018 school year had been an anxious time for the state’s school cleaners.
“Cleaners joined together to fight this attack on their jobs,” Ms Gatfield said. “They joined the union; petitioned Minister Dominello; met with politicians and wrote to the Premier; shared their stories in the media; mobilised teachers, principals and school communities; and held mass meetings across the state.”