RMT confirms tube and DLR cleaners strikes and industrial action across LU over Olympics recognition and reward and use of volunteers
TUBE UNION RMT today confirmed industrial action by cleaners on the tube and DLR along with staff across the London Underground network in five separate outstanding disputes over Olympics payments, implementation of recognition and reward agreements and the use of under-trained volunteers.
ISS and Initial tube cleaners and Carlisle DLR cleaners
ISS and Initial tube cleaners and Carlisle DLR cleaners, doing some of the dirtiest jobs, in the most appalling conditions for the lowest wages on the transport system, have voted almost unanimously for action over Olympics payments. As a result:
- All members are instructed not to book on for any shifts that commence between 05:30 hours on Friday 27th July 2012 and 05:29 hours on Sunday 29th July 2012.
In addition, following massive votes for action across the combine in disputes over the implementation of Olympics recognition and reward and the attempted use of under-trained volunteers to make up statutory staffing numbers, all LUL staff will take the following action:
Olympic Recognition and Reward Dispute
Despite reaching agreement over the Olympic payment arrangements we continue to have problems with the implementation of the agreement. Therefore all LUL members are instructed to take the following industrial action short of a strike.
- With effect from 00.01 hours Friday 27th July 2012 until further notice all RMT members are instructed not to work outside their job description.
Casualisation Dispute
As part of our 2008 Casualisation dispute settlement, it was agreed that only fully trained, qualified, licensed staff that are familiarised to a CSA level would be counted towards minimum staffing levels. This does not include ICSAs who are administrative staff given inadequate training and only work on stations occasionally. LUL have broken this agreement so it has been decided to call the following action.
With effect from 00.01 hours Friday 27th July 2012 until further notice RMT members are instructed: –
- Not to co-operate in any way with the counting of Incident Customer Service Assistants (ICSAs) towards the minimum number of staff on duty for a station to be open to passengers.
- Members acting as ICSAs should withdraw from the station and refuse to be counted should the number of station staff fall below minimum numbers.
- Station Supervisors should deploy ICSAs (and Travel Ambassadors) only to duties on the ‘unpaid’ side of the ticket barrier.
- Station Supervisors should count only London Underground station staff, fully trained, qualified, licensed and familiarised to a minimum of CSA level – not ICSAs – towards the minimum number of staff on duty, and should close (or not open) a station that does not have the minimum number of station staff on duty.
- Should a station fall below minimum numbers, station, revenue control and engineering staff should go to a place of safety.
- Train Operators should not stop at stations which do not have the minimum number of station staff on duty.
- Service control staff should not participate in procedures being carried out at any station which remains open without the minimum number of staff on duty.
RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:
“While the likes of Jeremy Hunt, and the rest of the Government, are sitting in the well-padded VIP seats in the Olympics stadium as a nice little bonus our cleaners on the tube and DLR, who work round the clock in appalling conditions, are being treated like dirt over recognition for the extra workload they will carry from the millions of extra passenger journeys associated with the Games.
“If rich Tories like Hunt, who is still up to his neck in the fall-out from his role as a cheerleader for Rupert Murdoch, wants to threaten low paid cleaners with the sack for fighting for an Olympics fair deal then he should have the guts to come down and meet them on the picket lines on Friday at Stratford.
“Even at this late hour there is time for the cleaning companies, and Boris Johnson who hires them, to settle this dispute which is about ensuring an inclusive Olympics where everyone shares in the benefits.
“Meanwhile, our wider London Underground membership will be taking action short of a strike in defence of the existing casualisation dispute settlement and to protect their position in light of problems with the implementation of the Olympics recognition and reward agreement.
ENDS
Camden Trades Council 