Cleanaway waste workers at Victoria's Dandenong site have voted unanimously in favour of protected industrial action with the company refusing to come forward with a decent offer, and pushing ahead with intrusive worker surveillance.
Cleanaway workers around the country are pushing for safe conditions, with pressure mounting on workers to work longer and faster while pay goes backwards.
8 workers have been killed at Cleanaway since 2022.
The Transport Workers' Union also recently exposed the story of one Cleanaway worker left with permanent vision loss from toxic chemical exposure, with the company failing to provide safety advice or notify the incident, an obligation under safety law.
In the last financial year CEO Mark Schubert took home a whopping $4.2 million last financial year, even after his annual bonus was docked by 30% over worker deaths and an increase in on site injuries
At Cleanaway's AGM last year, 40% voted against executive pay over "deteriorating safety performance and lack of appropriate accountability."
TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine said:
"Waste workers perform a critical service for our communities, hospitals and businesses but at Cleanaway we've seen an appalling string of deaths and horrific injuries that the company refuses to address.
"Workers in Dandenong, not only faced with an insulting proposal on pay and conditions but with intrusive worker surveillance being rolled out, have made it clear enough is enough. The entire union movement is vowing to do what it takes to hold Cleanaway to account and its workers safe."
TWU VIC/TAS Director of Organising Sam Lynch said:
"There have been 5 deaths at Cleanaway in the last two years, and 8 deaths since mid 2022. A workers' death is a tragedy, this many is a choice.
"Workers are subjected to appalling conditions because Cleanaway is too focussed on cutting costs and driving wages and conditions backwards. Every day our members' health, safety and wellbeing is at risk by simply turning up to work at this company. No worker should have to choose between their job, and returning home safely, but that's not the case at Cleanaway.
"We are sending a message to Cleanaway, if they refuse to improve these appalling conditions, we will force them to."
Notes
– 5 workers have been killed at Cleanaway in the last 2 years, and 8 since 2022 - the TWU recently conducted vigils for these workers on Workers' Memorial Day
– Cleanaway was recently fined $1.1 million, the largest ever employer penalty under federal WHS laws, for workplace failures that led to a double fatal crash in Adelaide in 2014
– Recent TWU safety inspections found extensive and deadly risks at Cleanaway, including broken blood samples, used syringes left on top of medical bins, blocked fire exits, wing mirrors sticky-taped to vehicles, and out of date PPE
– Last week ALP National Conference made a resolution to move companies like Cleanaway out of the federal Comcare insurance system, into the better-equipped state systems for better oversight and accountability for safety
– The Union movement today spoke with one voice about this out of control corporate killer, resolving to clean up Cleanaway, and calling on the Cleanaway Board to work with unions and workers to make workplaces safe
