WASTE WORKERS ON STRIKE AS STATEWIDE WASTE INDUSTRY CRISIS CONTINUES

Today waste workers on the Cleanaway Padstow Liquid Waste contract will engage in a 24-hour work stoppage in protest of Cleanaway’s attack on conditions in their ongoing agreement bargaining.

This is the first-time workers at this site have had to go on strike, impacting multiple commercial contracts across Sydney, including major retailers such as Coles, McDonalds, Ampol and KFC.

Workers are battling attempts to force workers to work weekends and longer shifts while losing entitlements like overtime rates, as well as job security concerns.

Cleanaway have continued attempting to strip back overtime entitlements and extend rosters as well as force workers to work weekends for less take home pay. This follows the announcement of an astounding $49 million half-year profit after tax earlier this year.

Across NSW, essential waste workers are facing these attacks. The TWU is declaring a crisis across the waste sector.

TWU NSW/QLD State Secretary, Richard Olsen said:

“We are seeing yet another Cleanaway site go on strike for the first time. This is outrageous. The attacks that this company are making on essential transport workers is sending the waste industry into crisis.”

“Waste workers across NSW have faced Cleanaway’s attempt to undermine pay and conditions, including in the City of Sydney, Randwick, Erskine Park, Unanderra and now Padstow. It is an absolute disgrace.”

“Our members have continued to attempt to engage in good faith bargaining to no avail. Cleanaway’s clear disregard of the community and the needs of these workers has no end in sight.”

“Over the past few months, there have been reports of streets in Sydney littered with garbage, and of extreme worker shortages at Cleanaway strikes. The way this company is operating is unsustainable, and they are pushing workers to the limit.”

“Cleanaway are degrading the very minimum standards of this industry, enough is enough. They must be held accountable for the damage they have inflicted on the community.”

Media contact: Caitlin Marlor 0405 625 208