Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Tube cleaners may strike over pay

While Tube maintenance staff on some lines are in a 72 hour strike over pensions & other benefits, the RMT are getting Tube cleaners to ballot for strike action in disputes over pay, benefits & pensions.

Hard Days Night by Peter Macdiarmid - Getty Images/Peter Macdiarmid 
Getty Images/Peter Macdiarmid

Union leader Bob Crow said: “Once again RMT is forced to move to a ballot for industrial action to secure a fair deal for our cleaner members and to end the exploitation of these groups of staff who work round the clock in the most appalling conditions to keep the tube running. 

“These cleaning staff are an integral part of the London Underground team and should be properly rewarded as such and not just seen as a money making tool to be exploited for every last penny in the interest of private profits. 

Cleaning Pimilico Station photo by Peter Macdiarmid - Getty Images/Peter Macdiarmid 
Getty Images/Peter Macdiarmid

The RMT is calling for above-inflation pay rises, substantial bonuses for working during the Olympics, free travel passes for all personnel, a Sick Pay policy and improvements to the companies' pension schemes. All members employed by Initial and ISS will be balloted shortly.

Piccadilly Line Litter

Crow continued “In the run up to the Olympics it is simply scandalous that the staff who will be keeping the transport system clean for the millions of visitors to this City are being treated like dirt.

.....RMT would urge Londoners to back this campaign for justice for our cleaners and join us in forcing the Mayor and London Underground to drag ISS and Initial back to the negotiating table to resolve these disputes.”

As yet there is nothing on ISS's site about the prospect of being dragged back to negotiating tables by Crow and his union friends.  In the meantime maybe TfL could consider an idea that was tested in the Netherlands where cleaning smells infused through train carriages led people to drop less litter.

Related posts
72 hour Tube Strike from April 24th 2012
Bob Crow believes Tube have Secret Privatisation Plan
Final episode of BBC2's The Tube Documentary - Fluffers, Ghost Stations & Rats
New Rubbish Tube Ads
Would infusing Cleaning Smells on the Tube lead to Cleaner Carriages?

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