Today’s news on plans to de-privatise 7000 NSW school and government cleaning jobs will provide huge relief to a workforce that has faced difficult conditions for far too long, United Workers Union NSW Secretary Mel Gatfield said today.

“We welcome the NSW Government’s bold decision to de-privatise 600 school cleaning jobs in the Hunter and Central Coast, and further steps to address contract conditions for another 6400 cleaners,” Ms Gatfield said.

“We see the Hunter de-privatisation as great progress towards insourcing all 7000 NSW school and government cleaners, with massive benefits under the new model for schools, students, teachers and cleaners.

“The Premier and Deputy Premier are to be thanked for finally listening to these workers, and taking significant measures to address their precarious situation.

“Today’s reportage of unclean toilets in schools comes as no surprise when cleaners are driven by unforgiving contract specs that demand cleaners perform 600 tasks a day, or 43 seconds a task.

“Cleaners in NSW schools and government buildings have faced impossible workloads and terrible conditions that have almost been hidden in plain sight.

“Cleaners have stood up, spoken out and fought for change on these issues, and it’s going to be a huge relief for them that their years-long campaigning is resulting in major reforms.

“The 30-year regime of private contracting is a broken system that leaves workers injuring themselves as they rush from job to job, often without the equipment they need, and then they even struggle to get paid correctly.

“NSW Anti-Slavery Commissioner James Cockayne recommended last year that insourcing of NSW school cleaners was an appropriate measure to address ‘modern slavery risks’ our members face every day.

“We commit to working alongside the NSW Government to ensure the insourcing occurs smoothly, and the worst features of existing contracts are addressed before contract changeover due at the end of the year.”

Background:

School cleaners in NSW are often drawn from migrant communities and bear the weight of unrealistic contract specifications enforced by profit-driven private contractors. The union has documented:

  • A single mother from a migrant background allotted as the only worker to clean a primary school including 14 classrooms and six separate toilet areas. She works an hour unpaid each day to meet her workload.
  • Continual cost cutting resulting in hours being cut from school cleaning and school cleaners pressured to make up the shortfall: in a survey in 2024, 53 per cent reported hours were being cut; 74 per cent reported they were marked down or criticised by the contractor.
  • Low wages impacting on health and other essential bills: in the same survey 76% said they were delaying medical treatment; 53 per cent said they were skipping meals.