Toronto police station cleaners make poverty wage

Toronto police station cleaners make “poverty wage,” critic says

Paul Moloney – Toronto Star

Contract cleaners hired to look after Toronto police stations are being paid roughly minimum wage, contrary to previous reports that pegged average wages at more than $17 an hour.

Councillors on the government management committee were told Tuesday that heavy duty cleaners make $12.27 an hour including vacation pay, and light duty cleaners earn $10.59 hourly.

In Ontario, the general minimum wage is $10.25 an hour.

Under budget pressure, the police service in early 2011 proposed looking at contracting out cleaning. At that time, the staff briefing note on the subject said contract cleaning rates average $17.60 an hour.

The committee members were urged to vote against awarding a two-year contract extension worth $3.9 million to Impact Cleaning Services to service 25 police facilities.

“These are poverty wage jobs, that’s the bottom line,” said Preethy Sivakumar, coordinator of the Good Jobs For All Coalition, representing labour and community groups.

Full article:
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/1258480