CLEANERS in schools across NSW face conditions akin to modern slavery, or at risk of allowing it, according to the state's expert on the subject.
NSW Anti-Slavery Commissioner Dr James Cockayne has appealed to the state government to "reduce modern slavery risks for the 7000 cleaners" in schools.
Speaking at a forum in May, Dr Cockayne said many of the cleaners "exhibit signs of deceptive recruiting, debt bondage, or even forced labour".
"And one approach here could simply be to change the business model for the supply of these services from reliance on external vendors and labour hire contractors, which as I mentioned are not licenced in NSW, to insourcing cleaning and janitorial services," he said.
The United Services Union has made Dr Cockayne's call public ahead of the International Justice Day for Cleaners and Security Guards on Saturday, June 15.
The Newcastle Herald last year reported on the experience of Hunter school cleaners as the United Services Union exposed conditions in a bid towards improving their lot.
Ryan Donaldson, a TAFE cleaner in Newcastle who spoke at the time, said he had seen and heard stories of colleagues being injured due to short staffing and time pressures.
"It is a bit of a struggle because you don't get to slow down, you just have to go, go, go. It's very constant," he said.
"Even if I wanted a day off in a month's time, I could tell my boss today and my shift will still not be covered."
A former school cleaner who worked in the Newcastle area, who wished to remain anonymous, said they were doing the work of two people or eight hours worth of work in a four-hour shift.
"In that time I was expected to clean 11 classrooms, three hospitality classrooms, 11 admin offices, one staff kitchen, two foyers, three floors, two halls/multipurpose areas, one canteen, one lunch room, empty 30 bins and leaf blow the outdoor areas," they said.
Speaking on Friday, the union said there was no doubt the cleaner workforce was at risk.
"School and government building cleaners are frequently drawn from vulnerable migrant communities and are disproportionately women," United Workers Union property services co-ordinator Lyndal Ryan said.
"The message of the Anti-Slavery Commissioner only reinforces what school cleaners have known for far too long: profit-driven cost-cutting contractors have completely failed in their duty of care to vulnerable workers."
The commissioner's report is with a government review committee, who are expected to reply soon.
A spokesperson for Minister for Education and Early Learning, deputy premier Prue Car, said on Friday the government was "of course deeply concerned" by reports of the potential for modern slavery in school cleaning contracts.
"The former Liberal National government's addiction to privatisation has led to a situation where profits always came before those who work, teach and learn in our schools," the spokeswoman said.
"We are moving quickly to deliver on our election commitment to review these contracts and work towards getting a better deal for cleaners, parents, teachers, support staff and, importantly, students."
