Category: Cleaners

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RMT TUBE CLEANERS TO DEMONSTRATE

RMT TUBE CLEANERS TO DEMONSTRATE FOR JUSTICE AND END TO OUTSOURCING

 

TUBE CLEANERS UNION RMT is organising a demonstration outside City Hall to protest against poor pay and conditions as a result of outsourcing.

 

The demonstration will take place on Thursday 12 October at  09:00, Thursday 12 October at City Hall, The Queen’s Walk, SE1 2AA

 

London Underground has recently consolidated its major cleaning contracts into a single contract, sold to the lowest bidder, American firm ABM. As with previous cleaning contracts, the main contractor, ABM, will outsource a significant proportion of the work to labour supply agencies such as AGS People, who pressure cleaners into registering as “self-employed”, or “limited liability companies” of one person, in order to avoid upholding their statutory rights. Cleaners have no company sick pay, and unlike other Tube staff, do not have travel passes to allow them to freely use the system they help run.

 

RMT is fighting back against injustice. We want London Underground to follow the example of the London School of Economics by ending outsourcing and bringing cleaning services back in house. We want Mayor Khan, as a Labour Mayor, to implement Labour’s policy for a £10/hour minimum wage on the transport system he runs. We want travel passes, sick pay, and holiday pay for Tube cleaners.

 

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:

 

“Tube cleaners keep London moving by cleaning up after five million passengers every day. They are an often invisible, marginalised group of workers whose labour is essential to the daily functioning of one of the wealthiest cities in the world.

 

“The Victorian degree of exploitation they face brings shame to our city. RMT will continue to fight for justice for Tube cleaners and for these workers to be brought in-house so they can receive the decent pay and conditions that they deserve.”

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LUL Circular 4th April 2016

OFFICIAL CIRCULAR

 

TO ALL BRANCHES AND REPRESENTATIVES

ALL UNDERGROUND AND FORMER LT EMPLOYERS

 4th April 2016                                                                           Circular No: IR/092/16

Dear Colleagues,

BREAKDOWN IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, DRIVERS, HAMMERSMITH & CITY LINE – LONDON UNDERGROUND (LUL/14/2)

Further to my previous Circular (IR/299/15, 4th December 2015), the Lead Officer advised that the issues affecting members on the Hammersmith & City Line include breaches of the attendance at work policy, an overbearing management team, refusal to release reps for meetings and misuse of the disciplinary policy. A dispute resolution meeting was arranged for Thursday 17th December where numerous problems were raised and assurances given by the line management team however, some of the actions which were promised to address the issues have not taken place and industrial relations have deteriorated as a result.

A further resolution has also been received from our Hammersmith & City Branch calling for a ballot of Train Operator members at Edgware Road for strike action and action short of a strike due to a breakdown in industrial relations and abuse of agreements.

The National Executive Committee has now taken the decision to advise the Company that we are now in dispute and arrange an immediate meeting with management and the relevant representatives and Branch Secretary. I am currently acting in accordance with this decision and will keep you advised of all further developments.

RATES OF PAY & CONDITIONS OF SERVICE 2015 – ISS (TUBE LINES AP JNP CONTRACT) (LUL/0001/ISS(TL))

 Further to my previous Circular (IR/243/15, 13th October 2015), the Lead Officer has confirmed that the 2015 pay award included paying the London Living Wage, effective 1st April 2015, to all those members to whom it is applicable and other grades received a 3.2% backdated increase later in the year. The National Executive Committee has noted that the 2015 pay review is now concluded and will consider the 2016 pay review when there is an offer on the table.

Yours sincerely

Mick Cash

General Secretary

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ISS Finger Printing

USE OF FINGERPRINTING TO BOOK ON –ISS (LONDON UNDERGROUND) (BR1/27/2)

 

Further to my previous Circular No. IR/246/14, 19th September, members voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking industrial action. Following this result, extensive talks have taken place under the auspices of ACAS and we are now in a position that allows our locked out members to return to work with dignity, including a hardship loan from the Company for those that need it. The options that have been given to individuals returning are as follows:-

 

  1. A position on an alternative ISS Transport Contract with offer a London Living Wage (LLW) as a standard basic hourly rate of pay. This option would not require Biometric sign on/off but there is no RMT recognition.
  2. A position on an alternative ISS Transport Contract in London on the respective hourly rate (lower than LLW). This option would not require Biometric sign on/off.
  3. A position resuming work on the London Underground contract, with continuation at the individual historic rate per hour (LLW). With colleagues resuming required to use Biometric sign on/off.

 

The Company also gave assurances at ACAS that all employees will be treated with dignity and respect and that clear policies are in place to deal with any harassment, bullying or victimisation.

 

Further meetings will be arranged at ACAS during January 2015 to review the introduction of the biometric time and attendance system.

 

The General Grades Committee and Lead Officer applaud the stand that our members have taken over this issue and note that the measures agreed at ACAS are the best way forward and are acceptable to those affected. I have informed the Company accordingly and will keep you informed of any further developments.

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USE OF FINGERPRINTING TO BOOK ON – ISS (LU CONTRACT) BR1/27/2)

SUPPORT THE ACTION

FIGHT THE CUTS!

 

USE OF FINGERPRINTING TO BOOK ON – ISS (LU CONTRACT) BR1/27/2)

 

Branches will be aware that ISS imposed a Biometric booking on system back in July without our agreement despite the clear and overwhelming objection of their own staff.We have been in dispute ISS for over a year because we firmly believe this system is a breach of your civil liberties. It is not acceptable for an employer to force staff to give their Biometric “fingerprint” data to allow them to work their shift. 

 

As far as we are concerned, the system should be scrapped immediately and they should return to the agreed booking on system of signing in at the station and using the Autophone to notify ISS.  In many cases, the Machines have been installed in rat-infested cupboards used to store the stinking waste collected from the London Underground network. This is not only degrading but also a major Health and Safety concern which has been raised with ISS and has been raised with London Underground at the highest level.

 

Since ISS imposed the machines in July, several of members  and representatives have stood firm and refused to use the new system. Despite offering to use the established method of signing in, the company has refused to let them to work their duties and has locked them out. It is no coincidence that many of those that have been locked out are  RMT reps. They have refused to be bullied by ISS and have suffered significant financial hardship because they have stood up for their principles.

 

Yesterday we told ISS that we are balloting all members on the LU contract for strike action and industrial action short of a strike with voting papers being sent to members’ home addresses from Wednesday 3rd September 2014. I urge our ISS members to vote strongly in favour of action to send a clear message to ISS that you wont tolerate the invasion of civil liberties and the locking out of their colleagues and reps. 

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