news, latest-news, calvary, calvary hospital, cleaners, cleaners strike, calvary hospital cleaners, cleaning stike
Cleaners at Calvary Hospital have escalated their dispute with contractor Compass Medirest, after negotiations about a pay rise fell through. Staff walked off the job for more than hour on Wednesday morning, the second time in as many weeks cleaners have taken part in industrial action. Cleaners initially went on strike on November 2 after they were offered a pay rise of just five cents from their hourly rate of $22.02, roughly $3 less than wages for cleaners at Canberra Hospital. Further strikes planned for last Friday were called off after Medirest agreed to meet with the cleaners and presented a larger pay rise. While staff and unions initially accepted the offer, industrial action resumed after Medirest said the pay increase would only be instituted once the new pay agreement was registered, which could take several months to be approved. Wednesday’s walk off saw rolling one-hour bans on emptying bins, replacing hand towels and toilet paper. Cleaners received letters on Tuesday saying pay would be docked for each hour that was taken for industrial action. United Workers Union director of property services Lyndal Ryan said after a three-year wait for a pay rise for cleaning staff, a further waiting period of several months for it to be implemented was unacceptable. “It’s not just about in terms of the money, but about the respect,” Ms Ryan said. “When many people had the option to work from home and health officials said stay home and stay safe, [these cleaners] had to take the risks for all of us, and this is how they are treated.” It is understood the offer from Medirest would make the hourly rate similar to that at Canberra Hospital. Meetings are scheduled to take place next week about the issue with staff and ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith. Cleaning staff at Calvary Hospital have said they have requested a meeting with the hospital’s regional chief executive Barbara Reid, but have been unsuccessful. “How can someone who is in charge of a delivery of services at the hospital ignore a significant part of her workforce?” Ms Ryan said. “Staff have waited for three years, and unlike many in Canberra, cleaners have had to take out loans to pay basic bills because they’re not being paid a wage that is fair.” Hospital cleaner Cibele Webbie said staff deserved an explanation as to why they would have to wait longer for a pay increase. “We are contractors, but we still work for Calvary, even if they act like we are not part of the team,” she said. “We’re not asking for favours, we are asking for what we deserve, because we’re still struggling to pay the bills and feed our families.” Further industrial action is being planned in the lead up to Christmas. Calvary Hospital and Medirest were contacted for comment.
/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/fdcx/doc7d5bfhk7os91l3fmzec9.jpg/r9_378_4023_2646_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg
Cleaners at Calvary Hospital have escalated their dispute with contractor Compass Medirest, after negotiations about a pay rise fell through.
Cleaners initially went on strike on November 2 after they were offered a pay rise of just five cents from their hourly rate of $22.02, roughly $3 less than wages for cleaners at Canberra Hospital.
Further strikes planned for last Friday were called off after Medirest agreed to meet with the cleaners and presented a larger pay rise.
While staff and unions initially accepted the offer, industrial action resumed after Medirest said the pay increase would only be instituted once the new pay agreement was registered, which could take several months to be approved.
Wednesday’s walk off saw rolling one-hour bans on emptying bins, replacing hand towels and toilet paper.
Cleaners went on strike for more than an hour. Picture: Andrew Brown
Cleaners received letters on Tuesday saying pay would be docked for each hour that was taken for industrial action.
United Workers Union director of property services Lyndal Ryan said after a three-year wait for a pay rise for cleaning staff, a further waiting period of several months for it to be implemented was unacceptable.
“It’s not just about in terms of the money, but about the respect,” Ms Ryan said.
“When many people had the option to work from home and health officials said stay home and stay safe, [these cleaners] had to take the risks for all of us, and this is how they are treated.”
It is understood the offer from Medirest would make the hourly rate similar to that at Canberra Hospital.
Meetings are scheduled to take place next week about the issue with staff and ACT Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith.
Cleaning staff at Calvary Hospital have said they have requested a meeting with the hospital’s regional chief executive Barbara Reid, but have been unsuccessful.
“How can someone who is in charge of a delivery of services at the hospital ignore a significant part of her workforce?” Ms Ryan said.
“Staff have waited for three years, and unlike many in Canberra, cleaners have had to take out loans to pay basic bills because they’re not being paid a wage that is fair.”
Hospital cleaner Cibele Webbie said staff deserved an explanation as to why they would have to wait longer for a pay increase.
“We are contractors, but we still work for Calvary, even if they act like we are not part of the team,” she said.
“We’re not asking for favours, we are asking for what we deserve, because we’re still struggling to pay the bills and feed our families.”
Further industrial action is being planned in the lead up to Christmas.
Calvary Hospital and Medirest were contacted for comment.
