A demonstration is to take place at the offices of UBS at 100, Liverpool Street, EC2, to protest against the actions of Lancaster (Rentokil).

Alberto Durango was sacked from Lancaster on 4th February 2010 for organising the workers and standing up for their rights. Alberto is a good friend of London RMT Bus Workers and they are asked to attend and give their support to him and the cleaners.

The cleaners are being pressured to agree to a cut in working hours with subsequent loss of pay while still being expected to do the same amount of work.

Following the resolution passed by our Regional Council in March, the union's General Grades Committee (part of the national executive) made the following decision on June 1st. The latest report is that "work is in progress".

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That we note the resolution from the LT Regional Council and the continuing sackings of our cleaner members and the need to build up our membership in this important grade.

We also take into consideration the recent meeting with our Parliamentary Group, which is placed on file.

The General Secretary is therefore instructed:

The callous sacking of Mary Boakye by ISS is yet another stark example of the brutal methods being deployed by dodgy cleaning companies to silence RMT activists. Her cruel dismissal bears chilling resemblance to other cleaning grade representatives who refused to be muted and have lost their jobs as a result. Cleaning companies are, without doubt, very exploitative, but that ISS in particular is just too brutal in dealing with cleaners is well-documented.

The dastardly attacks on our cleaning grade activists by ISS, the largest of the cleaning companies, intensified throughout January. Mary Boakye, our dedicated rep at Northumberland Park depot, was wrongly sacked following an accident at work in October, reinstated and then sacked again at a hearing on December 9th. Mary had an appeal hearing at the ISS head office on January 8th. At the same time the secretary of the cleaning grades committee, Clara Osagiede, was facing a trumped up charge of going home early after representing a member.

This is from Barnet Trades Council's website ...

Justice for Tube cleaners: No to union-busting! Bring cleaning back in-house!

WEA Offices, 70 Clifton Street, EC2A 4HB (5 mins walk from Old Street station)

Speaker: Elane Heffernan, Immigration Rights Campaigner

1pm, RMT Demonstration at Metronet, Templar House, 81-87 High Holborn, WC1V 6NU. (2 minutes walk from Holborn station)

Mary's crime was to sit down after finishing her work while she was waiting for the train doors to be opened. 3 days earlier, she had sustained an eye injury at work - but was denied sick pay and annual leave. We know she was targeted for her union activity and want to let Metronet know that we hold them responsible for the actions of their contractors. Mary must be reinstated!

Meet 1.30pm at WH Smiths at London Bridge, travel to the ISS Offices, 15 Park Vista, Greenwich for demo from 2.30pm

Phillip has worked on the underground for 7 years, but it is only since he became active as a union rep that employers have questioned his immigration status. Come along to the offices and make some noise before his hearing at 3pm. Be there when the outcome is announced to ensure that ISS know that we won't stand for the victimisation of cleaners for trade union organising.

On 14 January, RMT members and supporters protested outside ISS headquarters to demand Mary's reinstatement.

Click '1 attachment' or file name below to download a leaflet/poster.

ISS CLEANERS!
Stand up for your RIGHTS.
SUPPORT Mary’s Campaign

Injured at work, refused annual leave, no sick pay, booked off duty without pay, sacked, reinstated, then sacked again

Background information here.

The good news is that the case against Clara was thrown out.

The bad news is that Mary's dismissal was upheld for the second time. The first time round, she was sacked in her absence, when despite giving ISS her address, to which they sent her P45, they claim to have sent the first notice to her old address, stopped her pay because she did not respond, then sacked her!

RMT press release, issued today

RMT TUBE cleaners and their supporters will demonstrate tomorrow at the Greenwich offices of cleaning contractor ISS against its victimisation of union reps following last year’s successful strike for the London living wage.

One RMT rep has already been sacked and another faces disciplinary charges in vindictive attacks on the union following its historic victory against ISS and other Tube cleaning contractors.

ISS cleaning company continues to victimise RMT reps, sacking and disciplining them on trumped-up charges.

A protest is being held outside ISS offices at Greenwich, 15 Park Vista, Greenwich, this Thursday, 8 January, at 11am. Please meet inside London Bridge outside WH Smiths at 10am.

Solidarity is strength.

LABOUR REPRESENTATION COMMITTEE www.l-r-c.org.uk

*PRESS NOTICE* *PRESS NOTICE*

The LRC supports demonstration against victimisation of tube cleaners

The Labour Representation Committee (LRC) supports the RMT Tube cleaners who will be demonstrating tomorrow (8th January 09) at the Greenwich offices of cleaning contractor ISS against its victimisation of union reps following last year’s successful strike for the London living wage.

ICS management has started the obnoxious compliance check. We all know very well that this is a vicious and calculated device to victimise cleaners for their union activities. Now more than half of the ICS staff are supplied by agencies and one need not be a genius to predict that the current exercise will effectively do our membership a great harm. Indubitably, relying on agency staff serves them perfectly well since they are the most vulnerable of all cleaners. The unwritten law: "Don't join RMT and dance to our tune" or else goodbye.

It looks like the successful campaign to defend Andy Littlechild has taught some managers nothing.

Brendan Judge, an RMT rep in CBS Outdoor, has now been suspended on trumped-up charges.

In a similar vein, ICS cleaning company is demanding to see our rep Fred Dappah's National Insurance number.

by Becky Crocker, Cleaners’ Co-ordinator, RMT Camden 3 branch

When cleaners took strike action, the cleaning companies victimised key activists.

Stonebridge Park RMT rep, Godday, organised a 100% solid strike at his depot. The day after, he was suspended without pay, removing this inspiring and effective rep from his workplace. Godday has been out of work since early July.