Berry Protects Cleaning Worker Entitlements In The ACT

Wayne Berry - Opposition Spokesperson on Industrial Relations and Employment

Media Statement - 8 December 1999

Labor MLA Wayne Berry today succeeded with legislation he introduced in June to protect the Long Service Leave entitlements for workers in the Cleaning, Building and Property Services industry.

The bill introduced by Mr Berry provides for a 2% levy on employers to contribute to a centrally managed fund which will provide portability of cleaning workers' long service leave entitlements between employers.

Mr Berry said, "Long service leave has been a fact of life for most workers in this country for many years. However, for some workers it is still a dream.

"Many have never had long service leave, in spite of spending many years in the same industry, doing the same job. The fact is that some workers, while remaining in a single industry find that their workplace might change or that their employer might change and they have to start all over again with their long service leave.

"The cleaning, building and property services industry is one such industry. It is an industry whose workers are often invisible - they work what is known as 'unsociable hours'. They are not on high incomes and their work is not glamorous - they are the quiet achievers. But that should not mean that they are denied benefits which many other workers enjoy. And for these reason I am delighted that the Assembly has today supported my legislation.

"This legislation will mean that many cleaning workers will for the first time receive long service leave. The central fund will also guarantee cleaning workers' long service leave entitlements.

"In the recent Oakdale mine closure the coal mining industry long service leave fund guaranteed that long service leave entitlements were not lost to the workers. The money had been paid into the central fund and did not have to be recovered from the mine owners.

"Money for workers' entitlements lodged in independent, well-managed funds is a safeguard that those entitlements will not be lost.

"The Cleaning Industry Long Service Leave Fund will benefit thousands of workers for many years to come," Mr Berry concluded.