Petition calls for cleaners to return

The campaign calling for the reinstatement of dedicated cleaners at all Disability Service Commission group homes stepped up on Thursday when a petition was lodged at DSC headquarters in West Perth.

Delegates joined union staff to deliver the petition to DSC director general Ron Chalmers.

The petition calls on DSC to:

• Commit to ensuring there is no further reduction in domestic staff services;
• Reinstate domestic staff services to group homes to the level that existed in March 2015;
• Undertake a thorough review of the domestic staff service needs of each group home in conjunction with the CPSU/CSA;
• Commit to providing backfill for domestic staff that go on leave.

Cleaning contractors at the government-run homes are being wound up with the Commission putting more pressure on the social trainers to conduct regular cleaning.

The social trainers help group home residents (who have complex and demanding needs) to develop basic life skills that most people take for granted.

Despite being busy working with the residents, the social trainers are now expected to take on cleaning duties as well, putting them under a lot of pressure.

This will compromise the level of attention and care the social trainers will give to the group home residents as their focus will be distracted by cleaning duties.