Royal Hobart Hospital cleaners at “breaking point” have walked off the job for an hour over short-staffing and outsourcing plans they say could result in job losses.
The industrial action by Health and Community Services Union (HACSU) Environmental Services members follows an “unprecedented” vote of no confidence in management.
HACSU State Secretary Robbie Moore on Monday said cleaners have repeatedly raised concerns about chronic understaffing and a shortage of hospital linen for patients.
“Despite repeated pleas to address these problems, management has all but ignored their concerns,” he said.
“The move to outsource cleaning services not only brings the potential of job losses for our dedicated hospital cleaners, but also lower wages and poorer working conditions for those contract workers.”
Moore said the “shock decision” to introduce contract cleaners into the hospital was made without consultation with the existing workforce, which “further eroded trust” between management and employees.
“They have been raising these serious issues for far too long and it is completely unacceptable that management continues to turn a blind eye even after the no-confidence vote,” he said.
But the Department of Health said the claims were simply not true.
“There are no plans or any intention to introduce contract cleaners to the Royal Hobart Hospital,” a spokesperson said.
“This has been clarified with staff and the union, with correspondence sent to the Health and Community Services Union on Thursday last week and again [on Monday].”
Premier Jeremy Rockliff said Health Minister Guy Barnett will continue to engage with HACSU on the issue.
“The Health Minister, as he has always done and as I did as Health Minister and of my responsibilities, whatever ministerial portfolio we have, we sit down, we work with stakeholders’ concerns, in this case the respective unions and listen to them and map out a way forward together.”
