Bill’s office cleaners get less than house cleaner

new-zealand-labour-party

Wed Sep 23 2009 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

Bill’s office cleaners get less than house cleaner

Wednesday, 23 September 2009, 5:10 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party

Darien Fenton
Associate Labour Spokesperson

23 September 2009 Media Statement

Bill’s office cleaners get less than Bill’s house cleaners

Acting Prime Minister Bill English’s claim for $20 to pay for an additional hour’s cleaning of his Wellington home highlights the unfair pay for Parliament’s cleaners, says Labour MP Darien Fenton.

“While Bill English’s house cleaning bill is paid for at $20 an hour by Ministerial Services, Parliament’s office cleaning is contracted out and funded by Parliamentary Services, and cleaners are paid just over the minimum wage at $12.55 an hour.

“I find these different standards strange. After all, the cleaners in Parliament have a huge responsibility for thousands of dollars worth of equipment, dealing with confidential papers and keeping health and safety standards up. There is huge trust involved,” Ms Fenton said.

“The vast majority of New Zealand’s cleaners, including those in Parliament, are on very low wages and they’ve been offered just 25 cents an hour in their negotiations for a new collective agreement.

“I’m pleased that Mr English’s cleaner gets paid decent wages. But I’m not impressed that the cleaner who cleans his office is paid $7.50 an hour less.

“I’m calling on Bill English and his government to do something about the pay for parliamentary cleaners. If $20 an hour is good enough for cleaning Bill’s house, it’s good enough for cleaning his office,” Ms Fenton said.

ENDS

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