Organising, Cleaners

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.

Download and distribute the leaflet attached below. You can join RMT here

Initial Cleaners at London Underground - Join RMT and help the union win decent pay and conditions.

RMT submitted a claim on behalf of cleaners on the Initial LUL contract, seeking a substantial pay increase, proper reward for the Olympics, and improvements in conditions including sick pay, pensions and travel facilities.

Initial boasts that “people are at the heart of everything we do” and that it aims “to be the employer of choice within our industry” with “fair rates of pay and benefits, excellent career opportunities and a caring and flexible approach” – yet it is expecting cleaners on the LUL contract already on low pay to take a real-terms pay cut.

Download and distribute the leaflet attached below. You can join RMT here

ISS Cleaners on the London Underground Join RMT and help the union win decent pay and conditions for you

RMT submitted a claim on behalf of cleaners on the ISS LUL contract, seeking a substantial pay increase, proper financial reward for the Olympics, and improvements in conditions including sick pay, pensions and travel facilities.

ISS boasts about its corporate responsibility, that it offers adequate pay and proper working conditions and respects the right to collective bargaining - yet it expects cleaners already on low pay to take a real-terms pay cut. RMT says that is unacceptable. but rather than talk, the company has resorted to dirty tricks, including putting out lies that the union has accepted some sort of unspecified deal after the Olympics - this is complete nonsense!

No worker should be expected to live on an income of less than the London Living Wage

We note the report from our Regional Organiser. While we may be close to securing an acceptable offer on Olympic Reward and Recognition, we are appalled by Carlisle’s refusal to pay our cleaning and security members the London Living Wage. No worker should be expected to live on an income of less than the LLW, an amount calculated to meet only the ‘minimum acceptable quality of life’, currently set at only £8.30 per hour.

Please download and distribute Stratford branch newsletter using the link below. You can view it by clicking here.

Exceptionally Busy

This summer will see Tube staff of all grades working really hard to transport Londoners and visitors during the Olympic period. With the main venue being in Stratford, the Olympic Games Live Sites in Victoria Park and Hyde Park, and Marathon Swimming and Triathlon event in Hyde Park, the Central Line -our RMT branch’s area -is right at the heart of it.

RMT is organising to recruit more members who work as Cleaners and Canteen staff. We have a ballot coming up for ISS cleaners who's pay and benefits are woefully low for the hard work they do. At Sodexo the RMT is working hard to get recognition for the RMT,

This all depends on getting as many people signed up as possible. Remember cleaners and canteen staff can currently join the RMT for £1 a week.

Canteen rep Petrit Mihaj

RMT has agreed reduced-rate subscriptions of £1 per week for workers at Initial Cleaners and Sodexho canteens in London Transport. This reduced rate is part of our organising campaign to achieve recognition in these two companies, and will be reviewed in 12 months' time.

RMT General Grades Committee decision:

We note the report from our Regional Organiser, that Initial is paying the London Living Wage to cleaners, but has not met any other demands in our pay and conditions claims. This leaves these cleaners among the most exploited workers in London, working for disgracefully low pay, and without the sick pay, pensions and other benefits enjoyed by other workers.

RMT CLEANERS have forced contractor John Laing Integrated Services to recognise the union on London Overground following an organising campaign that has seen the vast majority of the workforce join the union since the end of March.

A ballot carried out under Central Arbitration Committee rules after the firm refused to enter into a voluntary agreement returned a six-to-one vote to give RMT bargaining rights for the staff, who work from depots at Acton, Gospel Oak, New Cross Gate and Willesden.

RMT's General Grades Committee has agreed a detailed campaign to organise workers in Carlisle Cleaning and Support Services. This is a national campaign, which will initially start outside our Region. However, it is relevant to our Region, as Carlisle holds contracts in London Transport, including TfL/LU secruity staff and Docklands Light Railway cleaners.

Here is the full GGC decision: