ABM Cleaners

The following resolution was carried at the LU Engineering branch meeting on 19 May 2009

"Proposal to LU Engineering branch from Cleaning Grade Secretary

This is the section of the General Secretary's report to RMT's 2009 AGM concerning the the union's work on black and ethnic minority workers' issues ...

BLACK & ETHNIC SURVEY

This resolution, proposed by Finsbury Park branch and seconded by Camden 3 branch, was passed unanimously by the Regional Council meeting on 26 March.

We note with increasing concerns the intensification of the attacks on our Cleaning Grade members and Representatives by their Bosses which have led to vindictive sacking spearheaded by ISS.

ISS have now refused to pay the outstanding London Living Wages (LLW) for Cleaning Grade staff working via sub contractors TubeLines and there is no indication that they will pay the LLW for 2009.

The callous sacking of Mary Boakye by ISS is yet another stark example of the brutal methods being deployed by dodgy cleaning companies to silence RMT activists. Her cruel dismissal bears chilling resemblance to other cleaning grade representatives who refused to be muted and have lost their jobs as a result. Cleaning companies are, without doubt, very exploitative, but that ISS in particular is just too brutal in dealing with cleaners is well-documented.

The dastardly attacks on our cleaning grade activists by ISS, the largest of the cleaning companies, intensified throughout January. Mary Boakye, our dedicated rep at Northumberland Park depot, was wrongly sacked following an accident at work in October, reinstated and then sacked again at a hearing on December 9th. Mary had an appeal hearing at the ISS head office on January 8th. At the same time the secretary of the cleaning grades committee, Clara Osagiede, was facing a trumped up charge of going home early after representing a member.

On 14 January, RMT members and supporters protested outside ISS headquarters to demand Mary's reinstatement.