News

Cleaners Clean Up In Backpay Bonanza

By Mikhael Kraebye

More than 70 cleaners have collected a total of over $70,000 in one of the largest backpay claims seen in the cleaning industry.

	Happy Campers

The cleaners work for the Menzies company in the Campbelltown and Sutherland regions. They received cheques from the employer for between $6 and $6,000 each after the Australian Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union (LHMU) took action.

Menzies had failed to pay award conditions, in some cases since 1994. The company had failed to pay cleaners correctly even after a Union warning in 1997.

Following an LHMU investigation, Menzies settled nearly all backpay claims early in 1999.

Tip of the iceberg

LHMU organiser Paul Travers first noticed the problem when talking to cleaners at a Campbelltown school in 1996. Those few cleaners turned out to be the tip of the iceberg as Paul began to check with other cleaners in the area.

"The company was breaching the award constantly. Toilet allowance, cleaner-in-charge allowance and fare allowance were not being paid. Annual leave was being underpaid, and superannuation was not being paid," Paul said.

"Two of the biggest problems were with the award span of hours and minimum start rules. The company was ignoring these rules in many cases."

The LHMU approached Menzies but the company failed to act. So the Union began proceedings in the Industrial Relations Commission.

Claims paid in full

Menzies then agreed to talk. The company restructured its management and pay office and agreed to pay in full most cleaners' backpay.

By this time, the Union had identified dozens of cleaners who were owed money. LHMU organisers Kathie Keys and Shannon Duffy found many more in the Sutherland area.

Thanks to Union action, most of the Menzies cleaners have got their money back. But the experience shows that all Union members should know their entitlements and keep all payslips.

Why Mario checks his payslip

Every dollar counts: with two young children and a wife on maternity leave, Mario Xeureb knows that every dollar counts.

That's why he was angry when he heard that he was being underpaid by the Menzies cleaning company.

"I put my time in and I expect to be paid correctly," said Mario, who now works at Campbelltown North Primary School.

Menzies underpaid Mario on toilet allowance, annual leave and minimum start by a total

of $3771.47.

Mario received a cheque for the full amount in February, 1999. "It was great. We were able to pay off our bills," he said.

"I doubt I would've got the money if I wasn't in the Union. Now I check everything on my payslip."

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  Issue 15 contents

»	Labor Council Unveils New Public Face
»	Revealed: New, Meaner Breed of Body Hire
»	Unions Wins Own Safety Prosecution
»	Timor Protest Calls for UN Troops
»	Pay Equity Jitters as Report Gathers Dust
»	Paid Maternity Leave: One Step Forward - One Step Back
»	Court Victory for PNG Workers
»	First For Union With Multicultural Arts Grant
»	Cleaners Clean Up In Backpay Bonanza
»	Unions Join Sorry Ceremony

»	Guest Report
»	Sport
»	Trades Hall
»	Piers Watch

»	Concern at Timor Attitudes

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