The Victorian LHMU Cleaners Union have organised a school cleaners campaign to get the Australian Taxation Office to crack down on cash in hand payments.

The union is campaigning against cleaning companies who underpay workers and avoid tax through cash payment.

Weeding out the shonks in school cleaning

And they’ve called on the Victorian Government to adopt
a pre-qualification system to weed out the shonks.

LHMU Branch Secretary, Brian Daley, said the union has
investigated and reported 12 companies to the Tax Office, the Victorian
WorkCover Authority and the Education Department.

Hard-working school cleaners not paid award

” Many hard-working school cleaners were not being paid award rates, and some companies were also passing contracts on to “backyard, cash-in-hand” operators,” Brian Daley said.

” Principals don’t know who’s cleaning the school and the cleaners are being ripped off.”

Campaign wins new union members; attacks those avoiding responsibility to school
community

A six month campaign has seen hundreds of new members join the LHMU Cleaners Union because they see an opportunity to get the bad bosses off their backs.

Brian Daley said there were just too many backyard operators working in the school system who avoid their responsibilities:

  • to the school community,
  • to the workforce and,
  • to the taxpayer

    • Prosecutions on the agenda

    The union is considering prosecuting some of the worst
    contract cleaning companies in court.

    LHMU Victoria has sent letters of demand to the companies, which have contracts at about 145 government schools, and advised schools about their claims.

    Among the companies reported by LHMU Victoria is Elynwood, one of the largest contractors in Victorian state school
    cleaning.

    No to contract cleaners pushing AWAs

    In a statement reported in the Melbourne Age this
    morning Elynwood said the allegations were “scurrilous and totally
    without substance”.

    The company claimed it was part of a “continuing victimisation ploy” by LHMU Victoria who are also campaigning against the individual workplace agreements they were pushing onto their school cleaners.

    Strong organising winning State Budget results

    The Victoria LHMU has also been campaigning for increased school cleaning budgets to ensure the workforce can be paid decently.

    ” LHMU Victoria members believe their campaign is beginning to show results,” Brian Daley said.

    ” A strong organisation with members ready to voice their concerns is turning around the State Government, who are recognising our
    demands.”