ABM Cleaners

We note correspondence from our cleaning grade secretary requesting that following the transfer of cleaning members on London Underground to Vinci, we pursue a dispute on this contract.

We therefore instruct the General Secretary to urgently convene a meeting of our representatives on the Vinci contract to discuss how to progress this. A report of this meeting is to be placed in front of us as soon as is practical.

London Transport Regional Council and branches to be advised.

We note the report from our lead officer. The employer has indicated that it will agree to extend the deadline for calling industrial action by seven days, but has not yet sent the correct wording for this.

Should the correct wording be received from the employer, we instruct the General Secretary to place this item back in front of us within seven days, with a report of the meeting with the employer due to take place this Thursday, 15 November.

Should the correct wording not be received from the employer by Wednesday 14 November, we call industrial action as follows:

From General Secretary Bob Crow
Branches will be aware that we have been in dispute with Carlisle in our campaign to seek drastic improvements to pay and conditions of our Security and Cleaning staff working on the DLR contract. This matter has been discussed by the General Grades Committee and the following decision has been taken: -

Each month our Executive Council Member Janine Booth reports to the Regional Council. This report as a synopsis and the full 'EC decisions' can be read here.

We've added some links to the report to explain some of the topics covered in more detail.

Remember branch meetings and the regional meeting are open to all members - this is where you can get involved and make a change in your union.

EC Report

CLEANERS

"We welcome the positive response so far to our call for nationally-coordinated industrial action of our current disputes with cleaning companies"

We instruct the General Secretary to convene a meeting of GGC members with lead officers and representatives of the current disputes involving cleaners as soon as is practical, to discuss plans for co-ordinated industrial action in line with our previous decisions. A report of this meeting to be placed in front of the GGC promptly after the meeting.

IMPROVING PAY & CONDITIONS – CARLISLE CLEANING & SECURITY (DOCKLANDS LIGHT RAILWAY)

That we note the ballot result for both strikes and action short of strikes is as follows:-

Total votes cast: 10

Number voting “Yes” : 10

Number voting “No” : 0

Spoilt Papers: 0

We congratulate our members on their 100% vote for action. We note that our Docklands Light Railway branch is to meet tomorrow, and that our lead officer is to meet with the employer. Reports of these two meetings are to be placed in front of us within seven days.

London's mayor Boris Johnson answers questions from the London Assembly Members each month at 'Mayor's Questions.' Andrew Dismore - Labour Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden asked the question "Why are cleaners employed by Carlisle, contracted by TfL's franchisee Serco to provide cleaning services on Docklands Light Railway, not paid the London Living Wage?" on october 17th.

The response is as follows:

3026/2012 London Living Wage for TFL Cleaners

We note the views expressed by our representatives at our meeting on 8 October, and reaffirm the following industrial action, instructing our Victoria line driver members to:

1. NOT to recognise the imposed sensitive edge door procedure and to work the previous safer instruction. i.e. go back to the carriage concerned and physically check the cause of activation.
2. NOT to sign for the new Defective In Service Instruction (D.I.S.I.) handbook and not to recognise this as a condition of service and to work to the previous D.I.S.I. book.
   

"While Mayor Boris Johnson is basking in the spotlight at the Tory Party conference he is light years away from the harsh realities of life faced by the cleaners" - Bob Crow

TRANSPORT union RMT, along with supporters from the community, will be stepping up the demand next week that Mayor Boris Johnson increases the London living wage to £10 per hour, benefiting cleaners and other low-paid workers.

Campaigners will demonstrate outside the GLA Headquarters on Wednesday 17th October at 0900 hours, to call for better pay and conditions for transport cleaners.

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We have set up a Facebook Page for the RMT National Campaign for Cleaners. Like the page to show your support and keep up to date with campaign news.

Noting that Tube Lines' cleaning contract with ISS expires on 31 March 2013, we resolve that the union will run a high-profile campaign for the contract to be brought in-house.

We therefore instruct the General Secretary to:

• produce a leaflet for both members and the public urging support for this
• produce a petition (both printed and online) to Tube Lines' owner, TfL
• organise leafleting sessions and protest actions
• arrange a meeting with supportive GLA members and TfL Board members
• raise this issue at the next meeting of our Parliamentary group