28 March 2008
Cleaners in govt departments get added protections
The government is supporting moves to raise workplace standards and protections for cleaners in the property services
industry, with government departments to adopt a set of principles for all new contracts from April 1.
"These principles were developed by representatives from property services contractors, property owners, unions and
wider business interests, who saw they needed to do something to stop the decline in standards in the industry," Labour
Minister Trevor Mallard said today.
The Principles for a Sustainable Property Services Industry was signed by Trevor Mallard, the Service and Food Workers
Union (SFWU), Building Services Contractors Association of New Zealand (BSCNZ), the Property Council of New Zealand
(PCNZ), at an event at parliament today, witnessed by a group of parliament's cleaners.
The signing of the document also follows a campaign by the Service and Food Workers Union called Cleanstart – which was
aimed at securing better workplace protections for cleaners.
"Traditionally, the property services industry consists of low union membership, employees on low wages, tenuous job
security and a high staff turnover rate. The sector is also highly competitive and there have been difficulties with
recruiting, retaining and training staff, establishing sound health and safety practices, and fair pay. So the signing
of this agreement, aimed at lifting workplace standards, is an important development," Trevor Mallard said.
"The Labour-led government has agreed that the core public service should take the lead and support socially responsible
and ethical practices. All new or renegotiated cleaning contracts government departments enter into with cleaning and
property service providers from 1 April 2008 will comply with these principles.
"I hope other employers and contractors outside the public service will follow this lead. The wider benefits of these
principles include consistent ethical procurement practices, consistent approaches to collective bargaining, improved
health and safety standards, improved quality of services, and better opportunities for career development in the
property services industry."
A copy of the Principles for a Sustainable Property Services Industry is at www.swfu.org.nz
ENDS