"Cleaners are our frontline defence", 1 April 2020

...Cleaners are often invisible, undervalued and, some of the most vulnerable to workplace exploitation in our country. Providing fair work conditions for cleaners is critical, allowing them to carry out the important work that they do to keep us and our communities safe and limit the spread of COVID-19.

The economic shutdown affecting the commercial office and retail sectors may have a significant effect on the demand for cleaning services, with cleaning contractors fearing contract suspension or reduced requirements, which will in turn impact on their ability to retain their staff.

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Cleaners are low-paid workers and often are on temporary work visas, hovering just above the poverty line. Migrant workers on temporary work visas are currently excluded from accessing social security provisions including the JobSeeker and JobKeeper payments, and Medicare, which are critical lifelines for workers whose livelihoods are already or are set to be impacted by the economic fallout of COVID-19. This positions cleaners as prime candidates to become economic victims of the coronavirus pandemic.

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There are links between the impacts of COVID-19 related shutdowns and modern slavery risk that stakeholders need to be aware of. [...] Both up and down the cleaning supply chain, steps need to be taken to protect those who are most vulnerable from the economic impacts of COVID-19.

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