In 2020, Ensign laundry workers across three states launched coordinated actions over dangerous COVID-19 exposure risks in handling hospital materials. Their cross-site campaign forced the introduction of proper safety protocols and paid COVID leave, protecting both workers and public health.
When COVID-19 hit, Ensign laundry workers faced some of the highest infection risks in the country – handling contaminated hospital linen and PPE with inadequate protection. Instead of accepting the risk, workers at sites in Dandenong, Murdoch, and Dudley Park took matters into their own hands. The fight back started at Dandenong, where workers walked off over dangerous conditions. Their action sparked similar moves at Murdoch and Dudley Park, as workers realised their power to demand safety came from standing together.
This cross-site unity forced Ensign to implement proper safety protocols and provide paid leave for COVID-19 exposures. These essential workers, often invisible to the public, wouldn’t be treated as disposable. Their resistance proved that when laundry workers are united across the country under one big national union, they can win protections that keep both workers and the public safe.