LONDON OVERGROUND RECOGNITION DEAL

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: september 2012 :: RMTnews 5 R MT has won a recognition deal for STM Travel Safe Officers on the London Overground. London regional organiser Steve Hedley said that the deal was a tribute to the steadfastness and courage of local members and representatives as the company had initially tried to discourage people joining the union. “These tactics seemed like something out of the dark ages of when workers first formed trade unions,” said Steve Hedley, recently elected as RMT assistant general secretary. He said that RMT had finally put a stop to such practices and achieved the union achieved 50 per cent vote needed to secure recognition. The Travel Safe Officers have now elected their reps, Emmanuel Bruce who will be the Industrial rep and Adnan Hanif for health and safety. “With recognition now achieved, we will be able to get on and attend meetings with the company over pay, conditions and contracts,” said Steve. RMT is now trying to organise and recruit all STM staff, security and stations n order to build up membership and get recognition for all other STM staff. LONDON OVERGROUND RECOGNITION DEAL T ube cleaners working for Initial and ISS mounted a picket at Stratford and other key locations last month to kick off a 48-hour strike for pay justice and Olympics recognition. Following rock-solid action around the opening weekend of the Games members took action between August 9/11 2012. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that with the eyes of the world on the London Olympics nobody should forget the London transport cleaners on minimum pay rates doing some of the dirtiest jobs in often appalling conditions with no Olympics recognition or reward. “It is these staff who keep services clean and safe who are now forced again by their employers to take action for a living wage and recognition of their Olympics efforts. "The Olympics has to be about equality, inclusiveness and social justice and that's what our cleaners are standing up for as the spotlight shines on London. “Instead of forcing our members back out onto the picket lines these profitable companies should be round the table with us negotiating a fair deal for the cleaners," he said. TUBE CLEANERS STRIKE OVER OLYMPICS PAYMENTS