RMT WINS ELECTION TO FGW DRIVERS' DIVISIONAL COUNCIL

RMT helpline 0800 3763706 :: september 2008 :: RMTnews 6 C leaners being paid poverty wages by OCS on its Eurostar contract lobbied the Oval cricket ground recently to explain to cricket fans how the company that gives its name to the lavish OCS Stand makes its sponsorship money by shamelessly exploiting its staff. RMT cleaners who keep Eurostar’s trains and stations clean are fighting to win the London Living Wage of £7.45 an hour, but OCS – which boasts of its ‘family values’ – pays them more than £1 an hour less than that with nothing extra for overtime, nights or bank holiday work. Some 120 RMT members at the company have already taken solid strike action over the August Bank Holiday after returning a 100 per cent vote for industrial action for a living wage. “Cricket is supposed to be about fair play, and our members are telling OCS and Eurostar that it’s time to stop cheating our members and stump up a living wage,” RMT general secretary Bob Crow said. It would cost OCS less to pay the London living wage than they pay one of their directors. The company made £6.2 million profit in after-tax profit last year and directors’ remuneration added up to £1.3 million, with the highest-paid director receiving £409,000. “Business is booming for Eurostar, which boasts about its ethical stance and how it treads lightly on the planet, and it could stop OCS trampling all over the workforce that keeps its trains and stations clean with one telephone call. “We have just won the London living wage for cleaners on the Tube, and now it is time for both these hypocrite companies to stop hiding behind each other’s fat profits and pay up,” he said. OCS EUROSTAR CLEANERS DEMAND FAIR PLAY ON PAY RMT WINS ELECTION TO FGW DRIVERS' DIVISIONAL COUNCIL R MT member Tim Earl was successfully elected to represent train drivers on First Great Western’s Drivers' Divisional Council recently. RMT Regional Organiser Brendan Kelly said that Tim’s election showed the high personal regard, which he is held in by his colleagues, as well as RMT’s growing train driver membership and authority on issues relevant to the Driving grade. Tim who was standing to represent HSS (High Speed Services) drivers at FGW's Paddington, Bristol and Swansea depots won his election by a margin of 88 votes to 38 votes for his opponent from the ASLEF. Since his election, Tim has been kept busy at numerous meetings representing FGW train drivers in pay negotiations, discussions on the PT&R and various other issues affecting drivers’ terms and conditions. Last month RMT’s General Grades Committee voted to accept a one-year pay offer from FGW of a 5.1 per cent increase to drivers’ salaries and allowances backdated to April 1 2008 and a commitment to enter into restructuring talks over the starting rate of pay for FGW Drivers employed on former Wessex Trains and Thames Trains (FGW-Link) terms and conditions. This pay award was in line with the second year of a two-year pay offer already accepted last year for all other grades at the company and brings drivers’ pay negotiations backing line with other grades. Members at both FGW and Arriva Trains Wales have now elected Drivers’ Divisional Council representatives to put forward RMT’s progressive agenda for all grades at the highest levels within train operating company negotiations. RMT’s South Wales & West of England Regional Council also recently organised a one-day school dealing with driver disciplinary representation and working with Competent Driver Programmes. DRIVERS’ VICTORY: RMT member Tim Earl, successfully elected to represent train drivers on First Great Western’s Drivers' Divisional Council with EC member Alex Gordon