Cleaners locked out from Wellington hospitals

11:00 AM

For the first time, cleaners will be locked out from working at a public hospital.

Spotless Services, which has the contract with Capital Coast Health, has notified 100 cleaners they will not be required to work at Wellington and Kenepura Hospitals from tomorrow morning.

The company is using managers and staff from other parts of the country to clean the hospitals until a dispute over redundancy packages is settled.

Spotlight spokeswoman Yyonne Treen says it will withdraw the lockout notice if the Union can come up with a settlement.

The Food and Services Workers Union says it is brutal action.

Union spokesman Alistair Duncan cleaners will hold pickets outside the hospitals tomorrow morning.

Both parties say they are willing to negotiate but there are no moves to head back into talks.

- IRN