Mayor Boris Johnson to face more pressure over London Living Wage for tube cleaners at Mayor’s questions

Submitted by Admin on 11 September, 2009 - 10:06

richardLONDON MAYOR Boris Johnson will come under renewed pressure at Mayor’s Questions today (Wednesday September 9) over his failure to ensure that cleaners working for contractors on London Underground receive the London Living Wage that they are entitled to.

The issue will be raised today by Labour GLA Leader Val Shawcross as part of an on-going campaign by tube union RMT to get the cleaners the London Living Wage that they deserve.

John Knight RIP

Submitted by Admin on 11 September, 2009 - 09:59

John Knight - a lifelong union rep, activist and officer of Finsbury Park Branch - has died following being diagnosed with throat cancer only 6 weeks ago.

John spent most of his working life as a guard and driver both at Oakwood and Arnos Grove and was known for his integrity and unshakeable principles that characterise all that is good about our union. He was kind and compassionate and was well respected by all who knew him and even in his retirement years that were tragically cut short he still gave his time without reward to help youngsters in his local RAF cadet company.

RMT bus workers at London United mount protest over harassment of members

Submitted by Admin on 8 September, 2009 - 11:08

RMT BUS members at London United will be mounting a protest at the company’s London headquarters this Wednesday ( September 9) in a fightback against the victimisation and harassment of RMT members building a fighting and campaigning union organisation that has challenged the company for a fair deal on pay and working conditions.

RMT is growing fast at London United and the response of the company has been to hit back at individual members of staff with completely unfounded threats that the union will not be able to represent them if they find themselves in trouble.

Training workshop: Pensions

Venue: Exmouth Arms, Star Cross Street, near Euston

Pensions are a very important issue to workers - they ensure a comfortable and dignified retirement - and yet seem both complicated and continually under threat.

In this workshop, one of our rank-and-file RMT pensions reps will explain - and answer questions about - issues including:

  • RMT representation on the bodies that oversee your pension
  • ill-health pensions
  • medical termination

RMT Members Ballot for Action on Woolwich Ferries

Submitted by Admin on 5 September, 2009 - 09:16

Woolwich ferryRMT is to ballot our members on the Woolwich Ferry for action short of strikes in a dispute about redundancies and attacks on terms and conditions.

Ferry operator SERCO wants to get rid of 31 jobs out of 120 who work on board the ferries. RMT fears that shoreside workers will face redundancies when the company have dealt with the onboard staff.

Jobs/Pay/Justice dispute: where we are

Submitted by Admin on 5 September, 2009 - 08:19

A summary of where we currently stand with the jobs/pay/justice dispute:

  • RMT is calling no more strikes for the time being.
  • Our disputes with LUL and TfL are still 'live' ie. not resolved.
  • The Regional Council's strike committee continues to meet and organise.
  • No RMT member will be made compulsorily redundant in the current LUL job-cut process.
  • LUL accepts that it has a 'no compulsory redundancy' agreement, but insists that this only applies to operational staff even though it clearly states that it applies to "all employees".

Proposed RMT rule changes

As you will probably know, RMT will be holding a Special General Meeting in early November, which will discuss four rule changes submitted by branches. All these rule changes seek to improve our union's democracy, as follows:

- to extend the time available to branches to submit amendments to resolutions to the union's AGM - to ensure that during disputes, the union's Executive considers the views of a strike committee elected by and from the striking members - to create a larger, more diverse and representative Annual General Meeting