Campaigning for better pay
RMT’s Bob Crow slams Labour over pay “kick in the teeth”and calls for political alternative to Tweedledum and Tweedledee
Responding to the adoption of ConDem policies on public sector pay by the Labour front bench at the conference in Manchester, RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:
We note that RMT currently has at least eight ongoing disputes with cleaning employers with ‘live’ ballot mandates, with issues heading towards disputes in other companies as well. We aim to hold co-ordinated strike action to pursue these disputes, perhaps a 48-hour strike in October or November.
We instruct the General Secretary to obtain as a matter of urgency reports from all relevant lead officers as to the feasibility of this in the disputes with companies for which they have responsibility, and to place responses in front of us as they are received, and in any case within 21 days.
We note the final offer from Mitie Technical Facilities Management of a pay rise of 1.5% for this year. While this is a disappointing offer, we note that it is the first pay rise in several years and as a one-year offer, gives us a platform to campaign for an improved rise next year.
We note that our representatives and branch recommend accepting it on this basis, and instruct the General Secretary to advise the employer of our acceptance.
London Transport Regional Council and branches to be advised
From General Secretary Bob Crow
The above matter has been considered again by the General Grades Committee and has taken the following decision:-
“We note the report from our Regional Organiser. Accordingly, we instruct the General Secretary to write to Cubic seeking a further meeting, and to place any developments in front of us. London Transport Regional Council and LU Engineering branch to be advised.”
Branches will be updated on further developments.
From General Secretary Bob Crow
The above matter has been considered again by the General Grades Committee and has taken the following decision:-
We note the report from our Regional Organiser. Accordingly, we instruct the General Secretary to write to Cubic seeking a further meeting, and to place any developments in front of us.
London Transport Regional Council and LU Engineering branch to be advised.
LOW-PAID CLEANERS on the prestigious East Coast mainline working for ISS are to strike for 24 hours on September 10 after voting by a huge 98 per cent margin for action against an employer that has offered no pay rise for three years.
They will be joined on strike by cleaners working for the same scrooge sub-contractor on London Midland, where a 24-hour stoppage has already been held at depots in Bletchley, Northampton and King’s Heath.
In both disputes ISS has failed to respond to calls for a living wage for workers who play a key role in maintaining rail services.
RMT cleaner members working for Initial and ISS demonstrated outside the Olympic Park at Stratford Station on August 9, 2012 as they kick off a 48 hour strike for pay justice and Olympics recognition. Filmed and edited by Andrew Brattle.
Transport union RMT said today that it has joined forces with web campaigners and union resource Labour Start to launch a global “cyber picket” of London Mayor Boris Johnson in the fight for Olympics pay justice for tube cleaners working for ISS and Initial.
The cleaners began a 48 hours strike at 05:30 hours on Thursday 9th August 2012 and the action runs until 05:29 hours on Saturday 11th August 2012.
Pickets were out in force at Stratford and other London locations yesterday and there will be another protest at Stratford at twelve noon today.
London Transport Cleaners, working on the tube for ISS and Initial will be on strike again between 05:30 hours on Thursday 9th August 2012 and 05:29 hours on Saturday 11th August 2012.
We can support them in their fight for a London Living Wage by joining picket lines in the morning and evening.
This second strike follows the previous rock solid action on the opening weekend of the Olympics for fair pay and Olympics recognition and reward.