SYDNEY, Australia —Over a thousand state-employed school cleaners on a three-day strike from around New South Wales (NSW) joined in a colorful and spirited march on the Sydney offices of the NSW Labor premier, Robert Carr, September 8. The cleaners, organized by the Liquor, Hospitality and Municipal Workers Union, were joined by supporters carrying other union banners. Protesting threats to their job security and hours, they chanted: “What do we want? Current hours! When do we want it? Now!”

“I’m now the only cleaner at a school of 500 students,” said Gayle Ross, 44, who has worked for 12 years at Grafton Primary School. “They’ve squeezed our hours and just let people retire without replacing them.” She carried a placard saying, “Labor government attacks workers basic rights.” John Robertson, secretary of the NSW Labor Council, was one of the speakers at the rally.