FIGHTING FOR CLEANERS

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: may 2019 :: RMTnews 12 RMT members working as cleaners held their annual industrial organising conference in Southend-on-Sea last month to demand better pay and conditions. Shengyul Sali, East Ham called for a ballot for strike action on London Underground cleaning contractor ABM for better pay and conditions. “A year after ABM took over the contract and we are still missing out on basic rights as a result of outsourcing which so deeply effect cleaning workers. “We are risking a lot by standing by our rights but our employment is unsecure anyway and the only way ABM will respect cleaners is by industrial action,” she said. RMT has already secured 550 cleaner jobs at ABM following a sustained campaign of union pressure to reinstate the posts into their headcount. London Underground has outsourced Tube cleaning on a five year contract to Global Corporation ABM which had called for a one third cut in the Tube cleaning workforce. Other members have been taking action across the country including RMT cleaners on Arriva Rail North protesting against plans to unilaterally change the low paid workers terms and conditions so that they will be forced into accepting 11 days’ pay owed in arrears instead of days paid in arrears. While cleaners working for the London Overground on the Arriva Rail Contract have taken 48-hour strike action against low pay. The cleaners, who formerly worked for Carillion before its collapse, have been transferred to outsourcing company Vinci. RMT assistant general secretary Mick Lynch said that it was important that cleaners had their own identity and demands. “Cleaners have become vulnerable working under the outsourcing model but RMT believes that you are an integral part of the workforce and this union is insisting that you must be treated the same way as in other worker. “In order to do this we must adapt to new circumstances as well as insisting that cleaning work is taken back in-house where possible. “The key to this success lays organising workers and getting reps in every workplace in order to push for our key demands,” he said. RMT president Michelle Rodgers said that without cleaners the rail industry could not operate. “I started as a cleaner under British Rail and worked my way up but now under fragmentation and outsourcing they are trying to separate you as a workforce. “That is why we need to build this conference and build the confidence of cleaning workers to fight back,” she said. RMT regional organiser Craig Johnston said that the union had successfully stopped the reduction of cleaning staff at Euston station through good organisation. “We have won recognition for Mitie workers in Glasgow and now we are putting pressure on the SNP government to pay the living wage and exposing the farce of privatisation. “We also want travel facilities to be extended to cleaners, this will not cost the operators a penny but still they are resisting. “This exploitation must stop and RMT will make their lives a misery until they pay up or ship out,” he said. Mo Said, East Ham agreed and said that cleaners should be entitled to sick pay, travel and pensions like other rail staff. “The only to get these things is by organising and taking action,” he said. Delegates also call on the union to negotiate with cleaning companies to simplify pay slips provided to staff. Gary Payne, Hastings said that there had been many incidents of pay shortages that were not always easy to spot and companies were getting FIGHTING FOR CLEANERS Cleaning workers conference meeting in Southend calls for action on low pay and jobs