Hi Gerhard
Looking at the articles that you have posted, the thoughts that comes to me is that there might be a reason or reasons why sweepers/cleaners are paid a contracted amount of $15,800 instead of the minimum wage of $32,207.
1) These workers are not classified as public servants, but as contractural workers and as such it is left on the contractors to pay based on what he/she can afford. We cannnot expect that a contractor who has been receiving an amount of $15,800 to pay a janitor/sweeper would pay a higher amount.
2) Now this is important, whereas a Public Servant works 8 hours per day for a salary of $32,207 one cannot expect a janitor/sweeper who works 4 hours per day to be paid the same amount of that as a Public Servant. I do not know if janitor/sweeper stays 8 hours in school, as during my days going to school janitor/sweepers would come in after school hours an work for two to three hours and finished their chores, and this goes on for the entire week.
I guess that if you are a businessman and has a business, then I am sure that a worker that works 8 hours will certainly earns more than a worker that works 4 hours.
And in conclusions let me point out that during my days in school, janitor/sweepers never used to work 8 hours, I do not know what are their working hours now..........but if it is 8 hours, then I will certainly think that they deserve that public service minimum wage and all frills that goes with it. But if it is a four hours or less per day, then this will be a hard case to sell.
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