VULNERABLE WORKERS

12 RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: january 2011 :: RMTnews R MT train cleaning crews servicing First Great Western services and employed by the MITIE company voted by 100 per cent to take strike action in a dispute over pensions, pay and failure to communicate with staff. However due to tough anti-trade union laws, which requires the union to call strike action within 28 days, another ballot of members must be held. Cleaning and security contractor MITIE recently announced a massive 13 per cent jump in profits – its 2010 revenue increased to £1,720.1 million – and brands itself as an “outsourcing specialist” mopping up contracts in both the private and public sectors. MITIE claims it is benefiting from companies seeking to cut costs through outsourcing and is expected to benefit from government budget cuts. As a result of lack of pension contributions by MITIE and wage discrepancies adding up to hundreds of pounds, a dispute exists between MITIE and RMT. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that a lack of promised pension provision, low pay and other attacks on working conditions had made a dispute inevitable. “MITIE is using all sorts of disgraceful excuses to delay proceedings and have even blamed the previous contractor ISS for not passing adequate information to them during the TUPE process. “RMT will not sit back and allow management to treat members with complete contempt,” Bob Crow said. MITIE is an acronym for ‘Management Incentive Through Investment Equity’, in which managers own a substantial minority stake in the business. The management of any new business invests 49 per cent of the capital and if targets are met they may sell their share to MITIE for a sum based on profits. This has incentivised MITIE managers to be among the most penny pinching of any of these kind of companies. The results of the RMT national vulnerable workers survey are even worse than expected. Dangerous health and safety conditions, low salaries, exploitation and high levels of discrimination are being experienced by those working as cleaners, station retail shop workers, catering assistants, security guards, hotel workers and seafarers. Over 50 per cent of those taking part in the survey are classified as “vulnerable”. Vulnerable workers are, according to the TUC, people working in an environment where the risk of being denied employment rights is high, and who do not have the capacity or means to protect themselves from abuse. The link between low pay and vulnerability is very clear, with results including: • 67 per cent being paid only £6 to £8 an hour • 23 per cent being paid the national minimum wage • 23 per cent of accidents at work - the vast majority occurring in the first year of employment • 21 per cent of vulnerable workers faced discrimination in the workplace with the main problem areas being racism, disability, ageism, sexism and pregnancy. • 48 per cent of vulnerable workers felt exploited • 31 per cent of vulnerable workers felt bullied • 19 per cent of vulnerable workers were afraid even to complain • 11 per cent of vulnerable workers felt badly treated, (or multiple reasons given) However each included sexism as a factor every time. Most had no sick pay, no pension or no shift pay. Across the whole survey only 50 per cent of all workers employed for less than one year are RMT members, whereas the percentage rocketed up to 82 per cent of those employed between one to three years and to an average of 90 per cent RMT membership for workers employed for more than three years. This fully justifies the policy of RMT demanding that all workers should have full employment rights and protection by law in the workplace from day one of employment. The findings of the national survey are clearly that companies are systematically bullying, exploiting, paying starvation wages and providing very bad health and safety conditions. The survey fully backs up initial fears and findings earlier this year when a “face to face” pilot survey was carried out. Clearly a major job needs doing to protect, assist and advise, then recruit these exploited, vulnerable workers. 24 per cent of all vulnerable workers who completed the survey are employed by Carlisle Cleaners, where RMT has recently won a recognition agreement. Carlisle is not a small cleaning company – it made a gross annual profit of £5.9 million in 2009 – but does pay low wages and provide bad conditions. This is not just some academic exercise, these are the heartaches of mistreated and exploited men and women, many of whom have children to bring up. These companies are systematically exploiting them. NEXT STEP The next steps in the campaign are to build a special website for vulnerable workers to attract and provide for their needs and requirements and then draw them into the life and campaigns of the union. A special training programme needs to be developed for existing RMT reps to make them fully aware of the findings of the survey, the levels of exploitation and systematic exploitation and the bullying and misery created by these companies. An awareness and action plan needs to be developed to educate, agitate and organise. This work is vital for both vulnerable workers being exploited in the workplace and to prevent members who could very easily become part of the “race to the bottom” in terms and conditions. CLEANERS’ VOTE 100% FOR STRIKE ACTION VULNERABLE WORKERS RMT vulnerable workers project manager Alec McFadden explains how the vulnerable workers survey confirms the need for action now