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MEDIA RELEASE

 

No more cuts to cleaning in NSW, coronavirus boost must be permanent

United Workers Union, the cleaners union, welcomes the NSW Government’s increased funding to boost cleaning services in government buildings and schools during this critical time, by employing hundreds of new cleaners.

Georgia Potter Butler, spokesperson for United Workers Union says, “The crucial role of cleaners has finally been recognised and boosted in government buildings, schools, TAFEs and prisons across the state.

“Our clear message to the government after 8 years of cuts to cleaning budgets under the Whole of Government cleaning contract is that this increase to the workforce needs to be permanent.

“The NSW community is always surprised when they find out that their local schools have had the number of cleaners and cleaning hours cut numerous times in recent years, with the pay of cleaners stripped back also.

“At the beginning of this crisis the United Workers Union, teachers, parents and the school community called out for extra cleaning in schools because there is a recognition that our cleaning workforce that had been cut and cut, over and over again could not deliver clean enough schools.

“The Government has boosted funding for cleaning as part of their $2.3 billion “health boost”. This boost can’t be a short term solution. Schools should always be clean enough to prevent the spread of illness and this funding boost is a tacit recognition that this has not been the case after so many cuts to cleaning hours. This must be a permanent fix to a problem a long time in the making.”

The NSW Government will now be working with United Workers Union to promote hundreds of new cleaning jobs with government cleaning contractors. It will be an opportunity for many people in the state who have lost work due to the crisis to secure employment. The Jobs Match portal is here.

 

ENDS

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