The colleagues of cleaner Linda Morrison can now afford to put tyres on the car or take their kids to the movies. But what is far more important than cash in the pocket is they finally feel respected. Ms Morrison, 63, is one of almost 150 cleaners at Canberra Hospital rewarded with a bonus after having their pay frozen for almost five years. “The cleaners haven’t had a pay rise since June 2012,” she said. “There’s been a lot of pressure on the workers as the cost of living rises. “But to be given this bonus is like winning the lottery. It’s like we have been respected.” Ms Morrison has worked at the hospital for nearly eight years and was one of the United Voice delegates who negotiated the bonus with ACT Health.
