ARE YOU A VULNERABLE WORKER? RMT CAN HELP YOU

RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: july/august 2010 :: RMTnews 20 ARE YOU A VULNERABLE WORKER? RMT CAN HELP YOU As announced in the last RMT News, this month’s edition contains the vulnerable workers survey to help RMT tackle the inequalities of the most vulnerable members, and potential members, of our union. We tested the survey by travelling up and down the country to meet and talk to a wide range of workers in trains, ships, stations, hotels, and shops. Where RMT are well organised, a cleaner can earn up to £11 an hour whereas many others are surviving on the national minimum wage of £5.80 with no sick pay, no shift allowance, no pensions, and bad and dangerous conditions. RMT catering staff on the main line trains can earn over £20,000 per year while non- unionised workers in stations’ shops can be on zero hours contracts, poverty wages and locked in their kiosks with no proper breaks. They even need to ring a bell to be allowed to go to the toilet! UK seafarers on average earn around £20,000 per year, although many are, of course, on lower wages, while foreign nationals working on UK ferries are working up to 84 hours per week at less than the national minimum wage of £5.80 per hour. UK seafarers also work 84 hours per week but work longer tours of duty, ie, working for three months prior to a month off. THE UNION ALSO CAME ACROSS • Non-members on lower rates of pay, working next to RMT members. • Anecdotal evidence of sexual harassment • Gangmasters operating in and around some underground stations • £10 demanded to get shifts at work • Two different companies operating in the same areas on different rates of pay General Secretary, Bob Crow says, “If you know anybody who falls into the categories then show them this article and get them to fill in the survey” We will use the results of the survey to develop an “information and advice website” aimed primarily for vulnerable workers. Just fill in the survey and send it back free post to: National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers FREEPOST (VWS) NW 3 706 LONDON NW1 3YD You do not need to give your name but, if you are an RMT member, you can write down your membership number and may win the £500 prize for completing the survey. This will be drawn in September by RMT general secretary and president. If you want more information about the project, contact: Alec McFadden, Vulnerable Workers Project manager 07831627531 - a.mcfadden@rmt.org.uk Are you a cleaner, shop worker, catering assistant, security guard, hotel worker, seafarer, or other exploited worker? Do you feel exploited, do not get sick pay or not in a pension scheme? Do you feel health and safety standards in your workplace are dangerous? THEN THIS SURVEY IS FOR YOU. RMT IS HERE TO HELP YOU