On International Cleaners’ Day, the United Workers Union calls on the ACT Government to bring their Legislative Assembly cleaners in house.

Quotes attributable to Lyndal Ryan, United Workers Union Director of Property Services:

“Cleaners have been the backbone of our country’s response to the COVID-19 crisis.

“The pandemic was a lightbulb moment for the ACT community to understand that outsourcing equals insecure work and poor working conditions, which risks the health and safety of those on site and the broader community.

“Last year the ACT Government insourced school cleaners ending decades of insecure work. This decision proved to be an important measure in managing the pandemic.

“Rather than having to rely on contract cleaning companies the government was able to upskill, increase in number, redeploy and directly manage their own workforce in order to keep our school communities safe.

“Since its re-election, the Government has committed to review all contracted services to create safe and secure work across the whole ACT Government. There is no better place to start than right where our Assembly sits.

“The cleaners who mop the floors, vacuum the carpet, dust surfaces including those which might harbor coronavirus and clean the toilets of ACT political leaders deserve secure work. International Cleaners’ Day would be an excellent occasion to commit to creating secure work for the ACT Assembly cleaners.”

ENDS

Media Contact: 1300 898 633, [email protected]