Let’s start by congratulating the cleaners—and the RMT which has stood by them.
Through their courage and defiance, the cleaners have humbled giant multinational firms who make their money by paying poverty wages and intimidating workers who stand against them.
The cleaners faced huge odds, but in a few months they will have won the London living wage (£7.50 an hour) across the network.
That’s a historic achievement. Of course there are still issues over sick pay and holidays and the way people can be sacked without going through the proper procedures. And there is the sickening use of immigration laws to deport, intimidate and harass workers.
Campaigns have to continue over these issues. But none of that takes away from what the cleaners have achieved.
The companies crumbled once it was clear there would be coordinated action on the Tubes. They feared the power of workers united.
But the cheers for the cleaners can’t extend to the Tube Lines deal. The new offer is 4.99 percent in year one, and the inflation rate as defined under the retail price index (RPI) plus .85 percent in year two. That’s at the top end of what’s been offered in Britain at the moment. And there are also some other concessions which will help some of our lowest paid members.
But let’s also remember that the original offer was 4.95 percent in year one, and RPI plus .75 percent in year two. So the improvement for the big majority is just .14 percent over two years, compared to the previous offer.
The company will increase travel subsidy from home to place of work from 80 to 90 per cent from April 2009. But there’s nothing on pension improvements—which is a big issue for many.
The limitations of the deal were the reason it only went through the Tube Lines negotiation committee by three to two.
For all their bluster, the bosses were panicking. If the Tube Lines strike had gone ahead it could have won a lot more.
It was absolutely right to coordinate the action. It should not be thrown away lightly. When the bosses are down we should kick them hard! It’s not too late to get more.
Tube Lines members should vote against the deal in the referendum and continue to build for coordinated action. This isn’t just a Tube matter. A victory for the RMT across the grades would echo through the union movement.
Cleaners on the Eurostar will strike on Bank Holiday Monday, 25 August, after a 100 percent ballot vote for action! At present they get just £6.37 an hour, however long they have worked for the company and whether they do nights or days. This strike deserves all our support.
Charlie Kimber
This evening the RMT (Rail Maritime and Transport) union negotiating committee voted 3 to 2 in favour of accepting a pay rise of 4.99%. The RMT NEC's recommendendation will be to accept this offer and this will be put to referenda next week. If rank and file members reject the offer strikes will resume Sept 1st. This is a mere 0.14 % the opening demands. We need to question why the union bureaucrats capitulated to such a low offer at the last hour.
ASLEF, the other main tube workers union has been criticised for selling out putting both staff and customers safety in jeopardy. If strikes had gone ahead, the Emergency Response Unit would have also been on the picket lines. The Fire Brigades Union, in solidarity, had said they would not respond to emergencies...
Last night (Monday) Metronet, another private maintenance company, have agreed to pay the London living wage to all it's staff from 1st Sept, and GMB will pay from 25th August. ISS, another MNC in control of other cleaning contracts put forward a deal for an extra 60p as of 1st Sept, another 60p from 1st Jan and a further 60p as of 1st April 2009.
To many people to win payrises like this, some amounting to 30%, is a major victory and we applaud the gains these campaigns have achieved. However, these offers fall far short of the mark. Not least because the proposed strikes on London underground would have had the power to bring London to a halt. But also because many of the important demands will not be won without collective industrial action.
To be completed tmrw...
*Eurostar cleaners vote 100% for strike action
*travel fares
*pensions
*arrests over immigration papers-National Insurance tax numbers only became an issue when workers spoke out
*agents of government called to arrest non-NI workers now been deported and another facing deportation
*vicitimisation
*sexist sackings
*ACS negotiations-wont settle for anything less the London Living Wage-2 yr campaign although they have no power over TubeLines.
Need to fight for equality of ALL conditions for ALL workers
At tonights rally called by the trade union RMT, we heard from Bob Crow, Gen Sec of RMT and a host of reps.
more tmrw-too tired...
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