CABLE CAR RECOGNITION VICTORY

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: november/december 2019 :: RMTnews 5 Following a major pay victory earlier this year for members working on the Emirates Air Line Cable Car which crosses the River Thames, the union has now won recognition rights for ‘welcome hosts’ working for Mace Macro. Dave Marshall of the union’s organising unit helped win recognition for operational staff which led to the significant pay win but the union has been looking for recognition for other staff employed on different contracts at the cable car ever since. London regional RMT organiser John Leach attended a meeting with Mace Macro management with newly- appointed reps to deal with outstanding issues for the staff involved. “We discussed a number of issues including rotas, breaks, ticketing systems and welfare. “Pay of course will be discussed in the new year under the collective bargaining agreement starting in January,” he said. Local RMT rep Phillip Hong said that that winning recognition had led to a rise in union membership in general and welcomed staff working for Mace Macro into the union. "This can only help to contribute to a much more stable environment for everyone working at Emirates Air Line,” he said. RMT general secretary Mick Cash welcomed the recognition victories and look forward to more at contracts covering Emirates Air Line Cable Car. “RMT has achieved a significant breakthrough in recognition deals which can only be good news for workers here. “I would also congratulate DLR branch for reaching out to workers in other areas within their sphere of influence and securing such positive results. “They have really shown what trade union membership and being organised in the workplace can achieve,” he said. RMT took the fight for the Living Wage for staff working on revenue and gateline across Northern Rail on a contract let to outsourcing company Carlisle Support Services (CSS) to Northern headquarters recently. RMT has been running a campaign for the Living Wage Foundation (LWF) rate to be paid to the revenue and gate line staff working on the Northern Rail contract for CSS for some time but the call has been snubbed. Northern are an LWF accredited employer, but are still allowing Carlisle to pay the staff the lower statutory minimum wage not the real living wage which is the benchmark for eliminating poverty pay. RMT has been denied recognition on the contract but the union continues to recruit, campaign and organise and will not allow the CSS staff to be denied a living wage. The Living Wage Foundation itself has serious questions to answer after the award of ‘LWF Industry Champion’ went to Carlisle Support Services in a bizarre move that completely ignores the companies track record on Northern. RMT is calling for the award to be withdrawn by the LWF until Carlisle get their house in order. RMT general secretary Mick Cash said that it was a disgrace that both Northern and Carlisle were tolerating the scandal of poverty pay while claiming to support the Living Wage. “It is also unbelievable that the Living Wage Foundation gave Carlisle a gong while this scandal rumbles on across the Northern franchise. “RMT will be jacking up the public campaign and we won’t stop fighting until the Carlisle Support Service staff secure pay justice,” he said. CABLE CAR RECOGNITION VICTORY RMT DEMANDS LIVING WAGE FOR AT NORTHERN RMT wins another trade union recognition deal at the Emirates Air Line Cable