Cleaners on the Tube to be balloted for strike action

The RMT have this morning confirmed that cleaners working for Danish multi-national ISS on London Underground are to be balloted for strike action and action short of a strike in a dispute over pay and workplace justice. The dispute comes following the news that ISS will be retaining the Tube Lines contract for another six years, instead of entering into talks with the union on improving working conditions and relations with the union and the workforce the company has marked the contract award by attacking working conditions and undermining industrial relations. 

RMT say their members are concerned over a number of issues. These include:-

• Failure to pay the London Living Wage until six months into the contract. 
• Introducing the "Bradford Factor" attendance rules to monitor sickness and absence. 
• New rostering, extending the unpaid break in the middle of the shift from 30 minutes to 45, 60 or even 75 minutes 
• Introducing biometric and Fingerprint booking on, including for agency staff

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said: "In order to resist the attacks by ISS on RMT's members working conditions, the union executive has decided ballot ISS Cleaning grades on the Tube Lines contract, for strike action and industrial action short of strike action, to put pressure on this high-profile and highly profitable global company for workplace justice on London Underground. We will also not allow Boris Johnson and his officials off the hook over their tolerance of this blatant flouting of the London Living Wage right in their back yard."

Ballot papers will be sent to members this week and the ballot will close on Thursday 9th May 2013.