Airport cleaners prepare to strike

Travellers at Melbourne Airport are being warned to brace for filthy toilets and piles of rubbish next week after crisis talks with cleaning company Spotless failed to reach a resolution.
Cleaners working at the Qantas and Jetstar domestic terminal are seeking a four per cent pay increase and want the return of a $1600 travel allowance.
An urgent meeting between the cleaners' union, United Voice, and their employer Spotless on Friday failed to secure any of the workers' demands following negotiations that have dragged on since April.
United Voice assistant state secretary Ben Radford said airport cleaners were to meet soon to decide on what action to take but warned strike action could begin next week.
Stop-work action could include bans on cleaning and duties including replacing toilet rolls and emptying bins.
Mr Radford said airport cleaners struggled to meet the cost of living on low wages and felt the loss of the travel allowance that helped them cover expensive parking costs at the airport.
"Spotless had one last chance today to stop this strike and prevent any inconvenience to travellers, but instead it continues to treat its employees with contempt, telling them they should be paid less than other cleaners at Melbourne Airport," Mr Radford said in a statement.
"More than 55,000 passengers pass through Melbourne Airport every day, so bins must be emptied, toilets must be cleaned and toilet rolls must be replaced.
"With tens of thousands of people passing through the airport every day, it's going to get very unpleasant very quickly if Spotless's stance forces cleaners to strike."
In July, ISS Cleaning workers at Melbourne Airport's international terminal won a new agreement that provides annual pay increases of four per cent and restored an airport allowance.
But Spotless has refused to reinstate the airport allowance, which the union says cleaners rely on to help cover transport costs.
Comment is being sought from Spotless.