Students caught up in dirty deals in cleaning industry

Students caught up in dirty deals in cleaning industry International students brought to Sydney to boost the NSW economy and who work graveyard shifts cleaning city office buildings are said to be being paid as little as $10 an hour. After Mr Molina complained to the union, he was employed directly by Glad and now receives the award rate and his workload has been reduced. Mr Sharma alleged the supervisor said the money was used to pay for another cleaner to carry out additional duties, but they were never hired. Thai business student Sirikun Bunchoo, 23, was told by her employer to pay the wages of the individual who replaced her when she took a sick day from cleaning a TV station. "Many cleaners are too frightened to complain because they want to keep their work," she said. But the union's state secretary, Mark Boyd, said some companies had staff being paid award wages working with those paid as little as $10 an hour. Students forced to pay secret commissions to keep their jobs; Supervisors and subcontractors threatening them with the sack if they refuse to work unpaid hours; Forcing those who take a sick day to pay for their replacements out of their own wages; Companies using subcontractors as a smokescreen to hide unethical practices. One big cleaning company, the Glad Group, was prosecuted by the Fair Work Ombudsman and is now before the Federal Magistrates Court for underpaying 32 Sydney cleaners, many of them international students, a total of more than $130,000. The Glad Group's chief operating officer, Ravi Shambanna, said in a statement the company took allegations "very seriously". seven hours," said Mr Molina, who is on a working holiday visa. "It was my first job in Australia, so I thought I had to do this. "If the allegations were able to be substantiated B. spokesman said Mr Sharma's allegation was investigated by management and the union, but could not be substantiated. "International students are encouraged to study in Sydney to boost the local economy yet many of them are being ripped off," Mr Boyd said. The union was also critical of building owners, who he said must know cleaning contractors were not paying award wages because of the low contract costs. The Investa Property Group, which owns Deutsche Bank Place, declined to comment on the Glad Group allegations. Nepalese student Omnharayan Sharma, studying accounting in Sydney, alleged a supervisor forced him and six others, working for B. C Services at 420 George Street, to pay him $100 a fortnight in cash. The union is calling for a joint state-federal government inquiry into the working and living conditions of international students. The owners of 363 George Street, Industry Superannuation Property Trust, said its contracts with the Glad Group provide for it to meet all appropriate awards. Mr Shambanna said he was not familiar with Mr Molina's allegations but "issues such as described are not tolerated by the company. The cleaners' union, United Voice, says it has run dozens of cases for students from countries including Nepal, Thailand and Chile who were cheated out of entitlements such as superannuation, sick leave and paid overtime. "I never, ever finished on time and I would just get paid for three hours' work even though I worked up to . "If such an issue is brought to the attention of the company immediate action is taken to be sure no cleaner is disadvantaged in payments or treated with disrespect in the place of work. Students caught up in dirty deals in cleaning industry Trade News selected by Local Linkup on 10/06/2012