Campaigning for better pay
From RMT Senior Assistant General Secretary Mick Cash
rates of pay & Conditions of service 2014 – Balfour Beatty (Ruislip) (LUL/0001/BBR)
Branches are advised that following talks with the company for Improved Rates of Pay and Conditions for 2014, the company offered an increase of 2.6% which is unacceptable to our representatives.
From RMT Senior Assistant General Secretary Mick Cash
Further to my previous circular IR/729/13 dated 18th December 2013, branches will be aware that following the referendum, members overwhelmingly rejected the 2013 pay offer. Whilst your union welcomed the move from individual contracts to collective bargaining, your union remains of the view that this offer was unacceptable as, for some members; the offer represented a below-inflation pay rise.
We note the resolution from the London Transport Regional Council and agree that the union must deal effectively with our members demands and aspirations employed in the cleaner grade. The most effective way for our members concerned to secure decent terms and conditions and social justice in the long term is through industrial trade unionism and rock solid organisation.
AMENDED INDUSTRIAL ACTION
Further to my previous correspondence, I would again like to congratulate you for supporting your union’s call for strike action and action short of a strike in defence of your pension. Your Executive has carefully considered the strong wish of you and your colleagues to carry out industrial action in order to oppose these plans and those expressed by your representatives to fight TfL’s plans. I can now advise you that your General Grades Committee has decided to amend some of the industrial action.
The RMT General Grades Committee has agreed to accept pay offers from Serco Docklands AND Carlisle. As a result all strikes are called off.
We congratulate all members for their resolve in their campaign for a decent pay settlement on Serco, for the London Living Wage on Carlisle and the commitments forced from the company on the other matters involved in this dispute.
We note the report from our Regional Organiser and the correspondence from our Docklands Light Railway branch. We share their disgust that Carlisle management is openly reneging on its letter to us of 6 August 2013 by refusing to honour its promised timetable for the incremental increase in pay rates to the level of the London Living Wage (LLW), and refusing to award any pay rise to those members who are currently paid the LLW rate or above.
On Wednesday TfL held a special meeting of the Company Council where they presented further information on their plans to freeze staff pay and slash the value of their pensions.
The Evening Standard ran an article today on the top earners at London Underground. Managing Director Mike Brown it states earned £476,00. TfL Commissioner Peter Hendy meanwhile earned £652,000 - 33 times that of one of TfL's lowest wage earners on £20k. If you take into account contracted workers, at the bottom of the wage pile such as cleaners and canteen staff, that difference in wage grows even further.
We note the correspondence from London Underground Ltd dated 13 September and 1 October 2013, and the discussion of this item at the Company Council meeting on 26 September 2013. This correspondence confirms that the LUL/ASLEF agreement traded changes to the Train Operators Resourcing Agreement (TOPRA) for the £350 bonus for working on Boxing Day.
In this months newsletter:
This article and the attached newsletter was updated on the 22nd of September to remove an outdated story about a member facing disciplinary