RMT Press Release, issued today

Over 700 RMT members working for four cleaning subcontractors on London Underground will begin their second round of strike action at 18:50 tonight until 18.49 Thursday to demand the London living wage.

After voting to strike by a landslide 125-one margin, RMT cleaners working for ISS, ITS, ICS and GBM also took 24-hour action on June 26.

Over 30 Tory, Lib Dem and Labour MPs, including two former transport ministers Glenda Jackson and Karen Buck, have so far signed signing a Commons motion supporting the cleaners, condemning the employers and urging the mayor to ensure that contract cleaners are paid the London living wage (text and list below).

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said that all contracts held by the failed Metronet consortium have now passed to Transport for London and demanded that TfL act now to halt the scandalous practice of paying cleaners just £5.50 per hour.

"London mayor Boris Johnson has stated that all temporary and contracted GLA staff should be paid at least the living wage as the contracts come up for renewal (see below) and Tubelines has indicated that it would be willing to enter negotiations on the issue.

"However, three cleaning companies with contracts with Metronet are currently in talks with TfL right now and paying the London living wage isn't even on the agenda.

"Despite massive intimidation of our members', RMT has pledged complete support for the Tube cleaners' campaign for a living wage, and the employers should now get around the table with us to negotiate a living wage," Bob Crow said.

Ends

Notes to editors: The cleaners' demands also include 28 days' holiday, sick pay, decent pensions and travel facilities, and an end to the barbaric practice of 'third-party sackings' in which cleaners can be dismissed, with no disciplinary hearing or right of appeal, at the behest parties other than the employer - a device used to get rid of union activists.

London Living Wage

From last week's Mayor's Question Time, Question No: 1205 / 2008

John Biggs: Will you retain the commission and will you support the living wage, including the annual, independent, assessment of its appropriate value? If so, will you ensure all GLA staff are covered by it and will you press for its wider adoption in London?

Mayor: Yes. I will shortly be announcing the 2008 living wage rate. All direct employees of the GLA Group are paid at least the living wage and as contracts are renewed I will seek to ensure that our temporary and contracted staff are as well. All employers in London should be encouraged to pay at least the Living Wage and I will be encouraging them to do so.