CTU backs locked-out hospital cleaners ()

"The CTU is 100% behind the hospital cleaners locked out from Wellington, Kenepuru, Porirua and Paraparaumu hospitals by the multinational OCS Limited ? one of the largest ? and apparently most ruthless ? cleaning companies in the world," said CTU president, Ross Wilson, today."The contracting out of hospital cleaning to faceless companies like OCS Ltd is leading us to a new era of sweated labour," he said. "All the cleaners are asking for is a 5% rise - another 54cents an hour - to bring their wage to $11.38 an hour. This would cost the company a mere $20,000 a year."

"While the company won't part with this sum they are happy to pay the extra wages, travel and accommodation for out-of-town workers to replace the cleaners."

"Many hospital staff are supporting the cleaners by refusing to accept the replacement labour in their wards and departments. We congratulate them for their stand and hope it encourages the company take some responsibility for the people who work hard and thanklessly to make profits for their shareholders," Ross Wilson concluded.