MEDIA ALERT

WHEN: 11 am Tuesday 28 June, 2022

WHERE: Premier’s Ministerial Office – 52 Martin Place Sydney, NSW 2000

WHAT: Up to 100 school cleaners and their supporters will deliver over 650 signed postcards all the way from Armidale to Wagga Wagga calling for Premier Dominic Perrottet to meet with school cleaners. School cleaners and their supporters will then rally outside the Premier’s office calling on him and the New South Wales Liberal Government to meet with them to discuss the current school cleaning crisis.

WHO: Linda Revill, United Workers Union Property Services Coordinator and Milena Petrovic, school cleaner in Randwick, Sydney will be available for comment.

NOTE: Photos depicting the school cleaning crisis – faulty equipment, unsafe working conditions, disgraceful toilets and classrooms, are available here for publication.

For the past year Premier Dominic Perrottet and the New South Wales Liberal Government have refused to meet with school cleaners and last week failed to allocate additional funding to the industry.

United Workers Union, the union representing school cleaners in New South Wales, has contacted the Premier’s office on multiple occasions to report the intolerable working conditions leaving cleaners unable to keep schools safe and hygienic.

Lyndal Ryan, United Workers Union Property Services Director, says schools are filthy and are only getting worse so school cleaners are taking action.

“Last week the Premier scrapped enhanced cleaning hours integral to keeping schools COVID-free during the pandemic and failed to commit any additional funding to the school cleaning crisis. Today’s action will show the public that their state government must act to address this crisis.

“Schools have a shortage of cleaners, and those cleaners don’t have enough hours to do their work to a reasonable standard that won’t endanger the health of the school community. It’s a race to the bottom.

“The Premier is well-aware of the crisis happening in schools but has chosen to turn a blind eye – sending a message to the parents of New South Wales that their children don’t deserve a clean and healthy learning environment. Well no longer. The Premier must agree to meet with school cleaners,” Ms Ryan said.

ENDS 

Media contact: 1300 898 633, [email protected]