NSW Cleaning

Harmonisation of OH&S Laws

Information on new OH&S legislation and other resources are available on our Members Only portal.

Award Modernization Update

The Cleaning Services Award 2010 became effective from 1 January 2010.

Rates and conditions of employment have undergone considerable change and members should make themselves familiar with the new conditions. The Modern Award conditions must be read in conjunction with the National Employment Standards (NES).

A copy of the National Employment Standards (NES) can be downloaded from the following link...national employment standards.pdf

It should be noted that in NSW existing employees rates which are higher than the Modern Award have been saved and employers must continue to pay those rates until they are overtaken by the Modern Award rates. Employees engaged after 1 January 2010 are paid at Modern Award rates applicable after 1 January 2010. A schedule of rates operative from 1 January 2011 is  available from the secure Cleaning - Members Only page 

A copy of the Cleaning Services Award 2010 can be downloaded from the following link...Cleaning Services Award 2010.pdf

There are significant changes to shift penalties and weekend rates in the Modern Award in NSW and predominately it is these rates which have been transitioned, in some cases over a five year period.

Early Morning/Afternoon and Rotating night shifts will now attract a 15% shift loading which in NSW will be transitioned in at the rate of 0.40c per hour over a 3 year period, commencing in 2010 at a rate of $18.35/hr.  Weekend rates will revert to 1.5 Saturday and 2.0 Sunday, part time and casual loading will apply but not shift penalties. Again these increased rates are transitioned over 5 years.

It should be noted that the Second Engagement clause which allowed a full time worker to be employed as a part time worker on a separate second engagement is no longer available for existing or new employees. Such an engagement now must be paid at overtime rates.

The Property Services stream has been combined with the new cleaning stream Table Busser can now be required to do cleaning duties and if they do, they must be paid cleaning rates. Please do not hesitate to call the BSCAA office if you have any questions.

LHMU Cleanstart Agreement

Fair Work Australia has declared that the CleanStart Agreement has been triggered in NSW and is operative from 1 January 2010 for those companies who are signatories to the Agreement for office buildings in the declared CBD areas of Sydney, North Sydney, Chatswood and Parramatta.

In January 2011 the LHMU began to roll out the CleanStart campaign to the Retail sector.

Fair Work Australia - New Bargaining laws to apply from July 1 2009

The Fair Work Bill provides a new bargaining scheme for low paid employees and is generally regarded as providing a more favourable environment in which Union can operate. Subject to parlimentary approval, the Bill will operate from July 1, 2009.

EMA Consulting states "according to the Bill, the low paid bargaining scheme is intended to assist those low paid employees and employers who have not historically had the benefits of collective bargaining .......... The provisions will have the effect of displacing the minimum wage, modern award and national employment standards safety net and reducing any scope within a low margin industry to actually bargain. The comprehensive safety net structure already in place will now be combined with additional gains to be obtained through bargaining and importantly, arbitration.

It should be a major consideration (for the Government) in proceeding down this path that the employers likely to be affected will be starting from a considerably higher safety net than previously. The new NES, the 2007 and 2008 minimum wage decisions and the award modernisation process have all combined to increase labour costs in the lower paid sectors."

A comprehensive summary of the changes contained in the Fair Work Act can be downloaded from this page.

Fit for Work Policy

BSCAA has developed a template for a Fit for Work Policy which is available to be downloaded from the secure Cleaning - Members Only page. Members are able to adapt this document for their specific requirements.

OH&S for the Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning & Restoration Industries

Funded by a WorkCover Assist Grant to the National Upholstery & Carpet Cleaners Association (NUCCA) an OH&S Safety Manual and an Employee Induction Manual has been developed and is available FREE for your company.

Click here to download your copy http://safetymanuals.ourintranet.net.

Illegal Subcontracting

BSCAA has made the Government aware of the gravity of this issue, together with evasion of workers' compensation premiums and superannuation. BSCAA emphasized the desirability of self-regulation/licencing to give it powers it currently does not have. The success of self-regulation in the Security Industry was highlighted to support this claim. We advised Government that the State police are most concerned that cleaners can enter sensitive premises unchecked.

BSCAA NSW Members Only