Cleaners travel thru the night

Date: 07 September 2004

Low-wage school cleaners from across NSW are travelling through the night to take part in a Sydney rally on Wednesday.

The cleaners will be telling Bob Carr that his Labor Government should show them more respect for their years of hard work and deliver job justice and real job security.

Getting on the bus in the middle of the night

Fran Sharp is one of a number of school cleaners from Griffith, travelling overnight to Sydney. They'll start their trip this evening, drive 200 kilometres to join cleaners union mates in Wagga Wagga, have a short kip, and then catch the Sydney-bound bus which leaves Wagga at 4 am.

There are also buses coming in from Gunnedah - starting at 4.30am - and Tamworth - starting at 5.30 am - as well as the Hunter and the Illawarra.

You can get the regularly updated bus timetable details by visiting the union website at:

http://www.lhmu.org.au/lhmu/campaigns/nsw_cleaners/news_1094194441_27247.html

The protest rally will start from the Archibald Fountain, North Hyde Park, shortly after midday and march down Macquarie St to Parliament House.

Not young- but I've got to make the trip

" There are people in this town who depend on that one wage of a school cleaner - it is not a lot of money but with the pay packet they can stand proud in this town. "

" We know we've got to make our mark now, take a stand, because Bob Carr's plan will not leave us with enough money in the pocket to live with a sense of decency."

" Mr Carr faces the wrath of the grandmothers - and country grandmothers know how to make a noise."

On the bus for 18 hours on Wednesday

" I'm not really looking forward to it. One person called me an idiot... but then someone else reckons we're heroes. I think I'll stick to the hero title," said Jan, 58, who has been working at Coffs Harbour High School for 16 years.

" My family depends on me keeping this job - we depend on this pay packet to help pay the money we need to look after my 88 year old father.

" None of us can afford the money we'll lose because of the 3 ½ day strike - but we have to do it to get our message across to the Labor Government. "

REGIONAL MEDIA CAN JOIN THE BUSES

Ring Mark Boyd at 02 8204 7204 or 0425 214 755.

The LHMU proudly represents around 130,000 hard working women and men throughout Australia

For more information about the dispute contact:

· Annie Owens, NSW LHMU Cleaners Union State Secretary, 8204 7204 or 0425 214 881

For interviews with these two country LHMU members travelling to Sydney ring:

· Jan Shipman 6652 2230 or 0427 522231

· Fran Sharp 6962 5457 or 043 8870 850

For other media information contact:

· Andrew Casey, LHMU Media officer, 02 8204 7206 or 0425 242 691

For further information

Contact:	Andrew Casey
Union:	Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union
Phone:	8204 7206
Fax:	92821 4480
Email:	andrewc@lhmu.org.au
WWW:	http://www.lhmu.org.au/

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