Tubeworker 31/10/12 - TubeLines strike special
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Written by Tube workers for Tube workers, this special issue discusses the Tube Lines strike for pensions and travel equality.
Rail unions
Industrial news in brief
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Members of teaching unions NUT and UCU at K College in Kent struck for half a day on Monday 8 October as part of a battle to save 145 jobs.
West Coast fiasco shows need for publicly-owned railway
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After months of controversy over the awarding of the franchise for the West Coast Main Line railway, the government has offered Richard Branson’s Virgin Trains a 13-month extension of their contract, to allow rebidding to take place.
Demonstrate to demand a living wage for London Transport cleaners
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Date:
17 October, 2012 - 09:00 - 11:00
Location:
GLA, 110 The Queens Walk, LONDON, SE1 2AA
Description:
From RMT London Calling:
TRANSPORT union RMT, along with supporters from the community, will be stepping up the demand next week that Mayor Boris Johnson increases the London living wage to £10 per hour, benefiting cleaners and other low-paid workers.
Campaigners will demonstrate outside the GLA Headquarters on Wednesday 17th October at 0900 hours, to call for better pay and conditions for transport cleaners.
Currently, cleaning companies on London Underground, DLR, London Overground and the various national rail companies pay wages varying between £6.09 per hour to £8.30 per hour.
RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said,
"While Mayor Boris Johnson is basking in the spotlight at the Tory Party conference he is light years away from the harsh realities of life faced by the cleaners working on a wide range of TFL contracts under his jurisdiction.
“Despite years of broken promises these crucial members of the transport team are still being denied a living wage and decent working conditions.
“If they are to provide a decent living for themselves and their families, cleaners need at least £10 per hour. The cost of living, including rents, is much higher in London than elsewhere and wages should be weighted accordingly. RMT is also demanding that cleaners be granted free travel facilities within the Greater London area in line with other transport staff."
London Overground security workers' strike ballot
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Workers employed by security contractor STM on a contract from London Overground are being balloted for strikes by their union, the RMT.
Tubeworker - 04/10/12
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The latest issue of Tubeworker, discussing the resumption of TubeLines industrial action, the 20 October TUC demo, and local/workplace stories.
Industrial news in brief
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Cleaners and security guards employed by Carlisle Cleaning and Support Services working for First TransPennine Express (FTPE) struck on 1 October in protest at a pay freeze imposed by the employer.
Fighting the bosses' plans on London Underground
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Tube drivers’ unions ASLEF and RMT are balloting their driver members for industrial action after it emerged that train testing workers could be asked to test driverless trains as early as this month.
Cleaners discuss coordinated strike
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Cleaning workers across Britain could take part in a national, co-ordinated strike, as rail workers’ union RMT discusses how to galvanise and bring together its several live disputes involving cleaners.
Solidarity with LGBT people in Zimbabwe!
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Date:
7 October, 2012 - 16:00 - 17:00
Location:
The Zimbabwean Embassy, 429 Strand, London WC2R 0JR
Description:
A demonstration in solidarity tieh LGBT people in Zimbabwe, organised by the RMT LGBT Advisory Committee
LGBT rights activists in Zimbabwe have reported a shocking rise in state-sponsored intimidation, arbitrary arrests, and beatings of Zimbabwean LGBT people. In August, the building of GALZ (Gays and Lesbians Zimbabwe) was raided and President Robert Mugabe’s riot police arrested 44 LGBT activists.
Meet at the Embassy at 4pm to hand out flyers to the passing public and deliver a letter of protest to the Embassy demanding an end to the police raids, beatings, threats, intimidation and arrests of LGBT Zimbabweans.
Text of the RMT LGBT AC's letter:
The Zimbabwean government continues to violate the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Zimbabweans and the Zimbabwean authorities continue to attack members of the LGBT advocacy group Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ), including intimidation, arbitrary arrests and beatings.
In attacking GALZ, Zimbabwe contravenes obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantee the rights to non-discrimination, liberty and security of the person and privacy, freedom of expression and thought, and association and peaceful assembly. Government attacks against GALZ are also contrary to basic rights in both Zimbabwe’s existing constitution and the draft constitution under review.
President Robert Mugabe continues to denigrate and spearhead attacks on gay and lesbian Zimbabweans and vows not to allow the inclusion of LGBT rights in Zimbabwe’s new constitution.
On 11 August police raided the Harare office of GALZ without a warrant after the group issued its 2011 LGBT Rights Violations Report and a briefing on the draft constitution. Forty-four members were brutally beaten with batons and fists. Many required medical treatment. Nine days later, police officers returned, occupied the offices for six hours, and confiscating computers, documents, and advocacy materials.
We, the undersigned members of the RMT Union, call on President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai to stop attacks on LGBT Zimbabweans; honor Zimbabwe’s human rights obligations; and include equality and human rights for all people in Zimbabwe’s new constitution, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.