LONDON OVERGROUND CLEANERS WIN RECOGNITION

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: november/december 2011 :: RMTnews 4 R MT 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. The union has been waging a long-term campaign to win better terms for transport cleaners who have seen their pay and working conditions squeezed massively by hard-nosed sub-contractors since rail privatisation 15 years ago. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said it was another major milestone in the campaign to win better pay, conditions and rights for a group of workers who have been hammered by privatisation. “Our reps at John Laing deserve massive credit for a determined organising campaign that began only in March, supported by organisers and activists from across the RMT family. “By getting organised they have already won back-pay owed from the introduction of the London Living Wage in 2007, and will now be able to negotiate on other key issues – not least on pay and conditions,” he said. London regional organiser Steve Hedley welcomed the result and said it had been a textbook campaign. “The whole team should be congratulated for showing what can be done, but it remains a shameful reality that privateers and even public bodies have taken full advantage of fragmentation and subcontracting to drive down pay and conditions,” he said. The deal was greeted by a noisy demonstration at the company’s head office, prompted by the company’s earlier use of deception to help round up workers on behalf of the UK Border Agency – something the company has said it will not repeat. R MT has signed off a new recognition agreement with cleaning giant ISS. The agreement gives the union sole recognition rights for ISS's Facility Services Transport division and comprehensively updates and clarifies a deal done over a decade ago. Representing ISS at the signing off were managing director Brian Raven (above left) and from Employee Relations Wam Thu and Paul Cronin (fourth and fifth from left). RMT was represented by regional officer Brian Whitehead and assistant general secretary Pat Sikorski (second and third from left). Areas for negotiation and consultation include rates of pay, hours, annual leave, policies and procedures, health and safety, staff amenities, re- organisation and restructuring of work, pensions and any other item which both sides agree to refer to the procedures. A Joint National Committee (JNC) will meet twice a year and a four-stage procedure on collective issues is detailed. There is full provision for the election of reps on a depot-by- depot basis. Recognised reps will be permitted to take reasonable time off with pay during working hours for trade union duties and time off without pay for union activities. Pat Sikorski said the agreement enabled both sides of the industry to sit down and discuss all issues of interest to both parties. “From the union's point of view it can of course only work effectively if we recruit the whole workforce into the union and appoint an effective network of reps,” he said. LONDON OVERGROUND CLEANERS WIN RECOGNITION RECOGNITION DEAL AT CLEANING GIANT ISS