MEDIA STATEMENT
Tuesday September 4 2007
JUSTICE ADVOCATE CALLS FOR CHURCH ACTION ON CLEANERS RIGHTS
Catholic justice advocate, Tony Robertson has called on Church members and organizations to support the Queensland Cleaners Campaign for 7 Fair Solutions.
Mr Robertson made the appeal at the launch of the next stage of the Clean Start Fair Deal for Cleaners Campaign at the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union Building in South Brisbane this afternoon.
Mr Robertson spoke to union officials and members reminding them that the principles of Catholic Social Teachings supported their campaign for fair hours, fair workload, fair job security, fair treatment, fair leave conditions and fair rights at work.
“It is worth noting that the Bishop Kevin Saunders, Chair of the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council released a letter for the feast of St Joseph the Worker on May 1 2007 which opened with the harrowing account of the all too familiar work schedule of a cleaner.” Mr Robertson said.
Mr Robertson also pointed out that the heading of the letter published by the ACSJC, “Keeping Time Australian Families and the culture of overwork” is a reminder of the unacceptable situation in which many cleaners are exploited by unfair and unjust working conditions.
“Our faith and spirituality demand of us action on behalf of justice and participation in the transformation of the world as a constitutive dimension of our role as members of the Church in the modern world” said Mr Robertson.
Mr Robertson has called on Catholic Churches, Schools, Diocesan Centres, Hospitals, Welfare Centres and property managers to review the workload and conditions of the cleaners they employ to ensure they are faithful to the principles of Catholic Social Teachings.
Mr Robertson said “the Church must have her own house in order if she is to continue to speak with credible force on this issue”.
Contacts:
Tony Robertson 0417792509
robertsontony@yahoo.com
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