CLEANERS SECURE LIVING WAGE VICTORY

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: october 2013 :: RMTnews 17 Cleaners working for Churchill on the Tyne and Wear Metro have secured a landmark victory in their battle for pay and workplace justice that will lift them out of the poverty trap of the minimum wage and towards a genuine living wage. The dispute has stretched back well over a year and has involved 19 days of strike action as the Metro cleaning staff mounted a brave fight for a living wage that is a beacon for millions of low paid workers across the country. The landmark pay deal announced by RMT comprises of a five per cent pay increase from this month incorporating the increase in the national minimum wage which presents a new hourly rate of £6:50. And an annual five per cent increase each year to 2016, delivering a new hourly rate of £7:52. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that the pay deal, which lifts cleaner members out of the shackles of the minimum wage was a breakthrough that sends out the clearest possible signal to low paid workers throughout the land that if they fight they can win. “RMT members have shown guts and determination through a long and hard campaign with well over a year of rock-solid strike action in the fight for workplace and pay justice, they are an example to us all. “RMT also wants to pay tribute to our reps and regional officials who have been instrumental in securing this landmark pay agreement. “The union focus now turns to other campaigns with companies like ISS and Initial where the fight for a living wage, decent working conditions and social justice rages on. “Workers at these companies will take great heart from the Churchill’s Metro victory,” he said. C leaners working on the Rentokil Initial contract on East Midlands Trains kicked off a rock-solid 48 hours of strike action last month in the fight for pay justice The action was launched after the company tried to bulldoze through a freeze to any improvements to pay and conditions on the spurious grounds of ‘trading conditions’, enforcing poverty pay on some of the most exploited staff on the network. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that the action sent out the clearest possible message that they were prepared to stand up against bullying and exploitation. Initial Rentokil is a wealthy company but it has a track record of exploiting its cleaning staff throughout the public services in the drive to maximise profits. “Fellow trade unionists have been out there standing together in solidarity on the picket lines in this important dispute. “That show of strength rams home the point to both East Midlands Trains and their contractors that the union is not prepared to tolerate the companies delaying tactics any longer in offering a fair pay offer and real improvements to our members working conditions. “East Midlands Trains themselves will not be allowed to duck this issue and heir excuses for not getting involved to sort this dispute in their back yard are frankly pathetic. They have a duty to ensure that their contractors are not exploiting their staff and they should be intervening now to help force a solution,” he said. RMT remains available for meaningful talks to address the basic issue of pay justice and a living wage at the core of this dispute. CLEANERS SECURE LIVING WAGE VICTORY Transport cleaners in the North East secure 20 per cent pay rise over four years and extra days leave after long-running battle EAST MIDLANDS TRAIN CLEANERS STRIKE ACTION ROCK SOLID