Your Union for Cleaners

We ensure essential spaces are clean and safe to use.

We work at all hours to make sure your schools, health facilities, hotels and workplaces are clean. We maintain essential public and private spaces for everyone to enjoy, and form the backbone of our communities. Our work can be physically demanding and dangerous. For too long, cleaners have been undervalued for the essential work we do. That’s why we are fighting across the country to be respected for our vital role in keeping our country clean and hygienic.

United Workers Union is our union for cleaners.

UWU represents over 150,000 workers from all walks of life across Australia. Throughout our history, we’ve shown when working people come together, we win.

We fight hard for jobs you can count on, decent pay and conditions, and respect at work. Your union is here to help you, we provide a range of quality services, benefits and representation when you need it.

TAKE ACTION FOR CLEANERS:

KEEP SCHOOLS SAFE

Tell the NSW government to stop planned cuts to NSW school cleaners

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JOIN YOUR UNION

Not a Union member yet? There's never been a more important time to join.

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BECOME A DELEGATE

Stand up, Speak out.

A union delegate is another union member just like you. They have a job to do every day, and they answer to the same management that you do. The key difference is that a union delegate has training, tools and protections to help you and other members solve problems at work!

BECOME A DELEGATE

Join the union for cleaners!

Standing together, we can change our workplaces.

BECOME A MEMBER

Better Pay and Conditions

Union members stand together for better pay and conditions, respect, and job security.

Australian workers who are union members earn on average $250 more every week.

Back up and Support at Work

When you face poor treatment – like unfair dismissal, safety issues or harassment at work it’s important to be union.

At worksites across the country UWU Delegates, leaders and Health and Safety Reps have your back.

Training, Community & Information

Members have access to exclusive training and development designed to support you at work.

Being union also gives you access to a community of workers and expert information when you need it.

Join a Movement that Wins

When you’re union, you’re part of a national movement with a long history for standing up for what is right.

If you want a fairer Australia, joining your union is the best way to make a difference.

media releases + campaign updates

recent news:

NSW CHIEF HEALTH OFFICER COULD STOP SCHOOL CLEANING CUTS

The United Workers Union, The Parenthood and the NSW Teachers Federation have called on Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant to intervene in cuts to school cleaning across the state. With new, highly contagious variants of COVID-19 circulating, including recent cases amongst children, key school stakeholders wrote to Dr Chant today to raise concerns about the state of school cleaning and the potential impact it may have on school communities and the state's ability to control outbreaks of COVID-19. New South Wales school cleaners have raised issues including not having enough time to clean the areas required of them, inadequate PPE, poor training, and problems with faulty equipment. On top of this, the NSW Government is pushing ahead with cuts to cleaning hours in up to 480 public schools. Quotes attributable to Judith Barber, NSW school cleaner: “Cutting the cleaning hours of essential workers like me, means cutting the hygiene and quality required. It affects our teachers, students, and the whole school community, while also putting cleaners at a greater risk of injury with increased workloads and less time." Quotes attributable to Lyndal Ryan, United Workers Union Director of Property Services: “With new, highly contagious variants of COVID-19 circulating, including recent cases amongst children, the situation is deeply concerning. But Premier Berejiklian is attempting to sneak through cuts to school cleaning at the worst possible time. “A shocking decision in which we seek the NSW Chief Health Officer’s support in reversing. Now more than ever, the Premier needs to respect…

No job security for school cleaners in NSW budget

The hopes of school cleaners across New South Wales were dashed as planned cuts to cleaning hours across 480 schools went unaddressed in today’s announcement. Quotes attributable to Lyndal Ryan, United Workers Union Director of Property Services: “The Government’s announcement lacked any mention of investment in school cleaning. “Underinvestment results in a lack of training, poor equipment, undersupply of basic supplies and PPE and unrealistic workloads across our schools. “Leading up to today’s budget, the United Workers Union called on the NSW Government to reverse their decision to cut cleaning hours. “In the middle of a pandemic, and with a new cluster growing, the NSW Government is continuing down the path to slash the time our dedicated school cleaners have to keep schools and communities safe. “Cleaners, teachers, parents and school communities remain in the dark about which schools will make up the 480 and when the cuts will come into play. “School cleaners were refused the decency of detail and certainty today.” A letter sent to schools from the Department of Education stated the government’s 2019 contract lets contractors calculate the amount of cleaning they believe each school needs. As a result, “under the contract, cleaning hours were to be reduced in 480 schools.” The change was delayed in term one last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Despite the ongoing COVID crisis affecting the state, the government decided these cleaning cuts will now be introduced, but are yet to provide any further details. ENDS Media Contact: 1300 898 633, [email protected]