Skip to main content

To: University of Tasmania's Vice-Chancellor Rufus Black

Give UTAS Cleaners their Chrissie back!

United Workers Union

Christmas was saved for sixty cleaners at University of Tasmania campuses in Hobart and Launceston. Union cleaners stood together, and with support from students and the community, were able to force their employer to back down from cutting workers’ pay over Christmas. UTAS cleaner Anna Reay says, "We are all so relieved to have our Christmas back, and we want to thank the community and the students for all their support.” There is power in your union!

Sign the petition calling on the Vice-Chancellor to take action so that the UTAS cleaners can enjoy their Christmas too.

Why is this important?

Workers' livelihoods shouldn't be on the chopping block when there's a change in contract. Yet the University of Tasmania (UTAS) has done exactly that, just to save a few bucks. 

In April UTAS awarded its cleaning contract to GJK Facility Services.  

Under the new contract, cleaners were forced onto probation, despite many of them having worked there for years.

Now GJK is forcing UTAS cleaners to take all of their paid annual leave over Christmas, and then an additional fortnight of unpaid leave. 

Earning around $24,000 part-time, two weeks without pay is a lot for UTAS cleaners. 

This is hardly building a "fairer, more prosperous, inclusive state that's expanding opportunities for everyone", which was one of the reasons Vice-Chancellor, Professor Rufus Black, said he wanted to focus on.  

Tell VC Rufus Black to stop GJK from forcing UTAS Cleaners to take leave.

Category

Partner

Updates

2019-11-14 12:29:44 +1100

Petition is successful with 1,098 signatures

2019-10-18 01:19:34 +1100

1,000 signatures reached

2019-10-12 12:38:47 +1100

100 signatures reached

2019-10-11 22:49:11 +1100

50 signatures reached

2019-10-11 19:53:56 +1100

25 signatures reached

2019-10-11 18:53:06 +1100

10 signatures reached