Hospital Workers Lockout

Who is Spotless?

Spotless is an Australian multinational with a large presence in New Zealand. They employ 27 000 workers worldwide and contract services to 20 000 private companies and public organisations. Revenue A$2.5 billion and profit A$63 million in 2006.

Spotless in NZ

10 000 workers and revenue A $ 319 million.
Contractor for out-sourced work including: commercial cleaning, laundry, facilities management,and catering

Spotless in Christchurch

Spotless is proud it “has become one of the family at prestigious Christ College”. The company provides catering facilities to the school. “The association between the College and Spotless has been more than simply a business relationship” says Colin Sweetman Burser

What is happening?

The 3000 orderlies, food service workers, cleaners and home support workers in have been trying to get a national agreement in the Public Hospital sector (DHB).

Two weeks ago we reached a proposed agreement with the DHBs that gave workers a start rate of $14.25/hour and the restoration of many of the conditions that they lost in the 1990s.
Spotless pulled out of the joint negotiation process. They have said that they will give existing staff the same pay rates as the DHBs, but new staff will get less.

Spotless pays the lowest rates of pay in the public hospital system. When the Service worker’s union issued notices of limited strike action and Spotless locked out the workers.

What can you do?

Email or write to David Geor (Managing Director) Spotless and tell him to get back to the negotiation table and stop bullying the most vulnerable workers in New Zealand.

Support the locked out workers by making a donation.

All donations for the LOCK OUT should go to:
Bank of New Zealand
Newmarket branch
Account name: Service and Food Workers Union Nga Ringa Tota
Account # : 02-0264-0294110-000
Reference : LOCK OUT

To donate $10 and support locked out hospital workers call 0900 LOCKOUT (0900 562 5688) - please make sure you are the bill payer.

The Service and Food Workers Union website is: http://www.sfwu.org

Christchurch
Spotless Services (NZ) Ltd
166 St Asaph Street
P O Box 7219
Christchurch

David Geor can be emailed c/o enquiresnz@spotless.co.nz


“Spotless believes in responsible, ethical & sustainable conduct
across all our operations for all our stakeholders, including… employees”
Spotless Group Ltd Annual Report 2006