Sydney cleaners celebrate big win

Date: 17 October 2008

Sydney's office cleaners celebrate International Anti-Poverty Day as contractors sign on to reform the contract cleaning industry .

After a two and a half year battle Sydney cleaners watched a majority of NSW contractors commit to implementing the Clean Start Union Collective Agreement to reform the contract cleaning industry.

Representatives of each contractor will sign on today to implement the Agreement at a function organised by the LHMU - The cleaners' union.

"Today's events formally confirm that contractors accept what cleaners have been saying for years: the industry is in crisis and unsustainable. Cleaners have borne the brunt of their vicious price-cutting war and the only viable solution is for us to work together to create better jobs and a better industry," says Mark Boyd, Secretary of the NSW Branch of the LHMU.

"By signing on to the Clean Start Agreement contractors are committing to securing a better future for themselves as well as better services for tenants and better maintenance of property owners' valuable assets. This is good news for the whole industry."

ISS, Australia's largest contractor cleaning company is the first national contractor to commit to the Collective Agreement. ISS Human Resources Director Darryl Prince describes the achievement as the culmination of months of work by the negotiating team on both sides of the table. He says "With the Industrial Relations framework changing at unprecedented speed in Australia, we are delighted that we could work with the LHMU towards an outcome that works for all stakeholders."

Commenting on today's development Louise Tarrant, National Secretary of the LHMU says "Cleaners in NSW and ACT - where an overwhelming majority of contractors have committed to the agreement - are to be commended for leading the way on reform of an industry which has basically been devouring itself."

For further information

Contact:	Nada Vlatko
Union:	LHMU
Contact Mobile:	0425 242 691
WWW:	http://www.lhmu.org.au/

LaborNET is proudly created, designed and programmed
by Social Change Online for the Labor Council of NSW
[Credits] [Site Matters]