Campaigning for better pay
Transport union RMT said today that tube cleaners working for Initial and ISS will strike again over New Year in their fight for fair pay and workplace justice.
RMT cleaner members are instructed not to book on for any shifts that commence between:-
05:30 on Monday 31st December 2012 to 05:29 Wednesday 2nd January 2013.
RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said;
TRANSPORT UNION RMT confirmed today that cleaners working for Churchill’s on the Tyne and Wear Metro, striking for a further 72 hours of strike action from Sunday 23rd December in their battle for pay and workplace justice, will be delivering empty Christmas hampers to members of the transport authority and setting up a soup kitchen in Newcastle city centre to shine a festive light on the issue of poverty pay and the penny pinching of Scrooge contractors Churchill’s.
Rail union RMT revealed today that it has secured pay increases of 3.5% for thousands of Network Rail maintenance staff, outstripping inflation and proving that fighting trade unionism can drive a coach and horses through government austerity and pay policies.
RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said;
"This deal is one of the best collective pay settlements anywhere in industry and rams home the point that while we are being told we have to accept pay cuts and freezes RMT is still out there winning inflation beating rises"
ISS Industrial Action
In accordance with the request of our representatives, we instruct all members on this contract to take strike action by not booking on for any duties starting at or after 05:30 on Monday 31 December 2012 and to return to duties starting at or after 05:30 on Wednesday 2 January 2013.
We instruct the General Secretary to:
• send a personal letter by post to all members involved, explaining this action.
• email our London Underground members, urging their support for this action.
We note the correspondence from London Underground Ltd, which merely tells us the structure of 'rewards' for admin staff, not the level at which they were paid out in recognition of the extra workload during the Olympics.
We therefore instruct the General Secretary to write again to LUL, asking specifically: what opportunity it gave staff to nominate; how many nominations were received; and how many awards of each category were granted.
We note the report from our Regional Organiser, and having also consulted with our branch, we instruct the General Secretary to advise the company of our acceptance of the company’s final offer before the deadline for payment in time for Christmas.
We further instruct the General Secretary to ensure that a pay claim is submitted in line with union policy for 2013, and to obtain a plan for improving organisation of this workforce from our LU Engineering branch.
London Transport Regional Council, branches and our Cubic representative to be advised.
From RMT General Secretary Bob Crow
Changed to Committee Room 14
REMINDER: National Lobby of Parliament for Cleaners in the Transport Industry
I am writing in relation to national lobby of Parliament for RMT cleaners. The lobby will take place on 11th December 2012, at 15.00 in Committee Room 14 in the House of Commons.
The lobby will be addressed by myself and several MPs and will discuss the issues facing cleaners in the transport industry and how those issues relate to our current disputes.
The RMT held a rally prior to the industrial action held be cleaners working for ISS and Initial on London Underground and Carlisle on the Docklands Light Railway.
RMT General Secretary Bob Crow, Assisant GS Steve Hedley and London Transport Exective Council member Janine Booth spoke at the event along with Richard Crane an RMT cleaner member and members of other unions and political groups.
Richard talked about the struggles faced by cleaners in making ends meet as low pay meant paying bills and looking after family was almost impossible, with many other cleaners he knew working second and even third jobs to make end meets.
We note the report from our Regional Organiser and the responses of our LU Fleet and LU Engineering branches.
Accordingly, while noting that the payment has not increased since last year, we instruct the General Secretary to advise the company that this union accepts the arrangements.
London Transport Regional Council, branches and Tube Lines representatives to be advised.
London Cleaners Demo Outside TFL Windsor House SW1 0TL Friday 30 November 2012 at 12,00 Noon.
London based RMT cleaner and security members will demonstrate outside TFL HQ, Windsor House, 40-52 Victoria Street London SW1H 0TL at 12.00 noon this coming Friday, 30 November, as the union steps up the national campaign for pay justice.