TUBE DRIVERS’ VICTORY

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: january 2017 :: RMTnews 6 L ow-paid workers at Liverpool’s world-famous Britannia Adelphi hotel artook two days of strike action over Christmas after scrooge bosses flatly refused to negotiate on pay and conditions despite a huge rise in profits. Despite Adelphi profits rising by 40 per cent to £1.14 million, helping Britannia to double its group profits and hand out a huge £35 million dividend, the company remains a minimum-wage employer and refuses to discuss paying the Living Wage Foundation rate of £8.45. As profits have risen, the hotel has added to staff anger by ignoring RMT’s call to end zero-hours contracts, cutting room-cleaning times by 20 per cent, reducing staffing levels and even denying its workers free use of the hotel car-park. RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said that it was shameful that the Adelphi’s owners were sweating both their assets and their workforce while paying the lowest possible wages. “Tourism in Liverpool is booming, yet Britannia is denying its staff a fair share of the profits they have generated. “Britannia Group boss Alex Langsam has raked in a personal fortune of £220 million on the backs of our members’ labour, and they have had enough. “Britannia can clearly afford to pay a living wage, and the company knows that RMT is ready to talk whenever they are, but RMT members have served notice that they will no longer be treated like Victorian-era servants,” he said. T wo sets of 24-hour strike action by drivers on the Piccadilly and Hammersmith and City Tube lines in separate disputes were suspended last month following successful talks with London Underground at ACAS. RMT general secretary Mick Cash said that all objectives in the Piccadilly Line dispute had now been achieved and that the union is committed to further talks aimed at a long term agreement on the Hammersmith and City Line. “Talks with London Underground have proved to be positive and focussed and as a result we have been able to make enough significant progress to allow us to suspend the strike action in both disputes that was scheduled for tomorrow evening. “There is no question that the advances we have made have been down to the strength and resilience of our members in the workplace backed up by a determined and professional negotiating team. “The solidarity that led to the resounding ballots for action has been absolutely decisive. “The union thanks its members and its officers for the exceptional display of unity which has enabled us to make serious progress in resolving the issues at the heart of these disputes,” he said. TUBE DRIVERS’ VICTORY LIVERPOOL ADELPHI STRIKE ACTION