Cleaners

Issues for Tube cleaners, and unionisation efforts

Unanswered questions for ABM

With all LU cleaning contracts now formally consolidated under ABM, the new company's conduct so far has left many workers with unanswered questions.

Some of these are as fundamental as: who do we actually work for? Tax letters from HMRC say we're employed by... GBM Services Ltd! ABM, a US company...

Fight for 15?

The London Living Wage went up to £10.20 this month, and with LU cleaners' pay pegged to that rate, they're in line for a pay increase. But between rising living costs and the government's pensions regulator also increasing the minimum employee contributions for workplace pensions schemes, many...

Sick pay robbery reversed

RMT's Regional Organiser announced last week that ex-Vinci cleaners transferred onto the new ABM contract will retain their rights to contractual sick pay.

This had been removed in their new ABM contracts, in direct contravention of "TUPE" regulations (the laws governing workers being transferred...

A “fair deal” for cleaners?

LU frequently uses its in-house staff magazine On The Move to give itself undeserved pats on the back. This month is no exception, with an article on cleaning claiming the new ABM contract “ensures our cleaning team gets a fair deal”.

“With the new team”, the article runs, “has come new contracts...

Is ISS shipping in strike-breakers?

Cleaners and security workers employed by ISS on the DLR contract struck again today. The strike will last until 3 February; workers have also planned a work-to-rule from 5 February.

The strike follows a successful action on New Year's Eve, and is over a raft of issues; ISS has unilaterally slashed...

ISS mess

ISS cleaners on the JNP are due to transfer onto the new ABM contract in early February. But workers say the transfer process so far has been a shambles.

ISS cleaners have not been given any ABM uniform, with no sign of it arriving soon, but are being told their ISS uniform must be handed back. No...

Cleaners left behind

ABM cleaners across the network are still waiting on vital uniform and PPE.

With ex-ISS staff due to formally transfer over to ABM in February, these issues must be resolved.

If they’re not, RMT should consider action.

ABM QR codes not Quite Right

Cleaning contractor ABM's shiny new QR-code sign-in system is, predictably, causing problems.

Cleaners are supposed to scan tag points fixed to the wall using a QR-reader app on their phones to sign in and out of stations. ABM uses the data to work out pay.

But the app is unreliable, often failing...

ABM bribes cleaners?

Word reaches Tubeworker HQ that ABM will soon be extending its empire from LU to other parts of TfL, including taking over from ISS on the DLR contract. We hear that DLR cleaners are being offered financial incentives, to the tune of £1,000, to move from the DLR contract to the former TubeLines/JNP...

Life under ABM

As we all know, ABM has taken over cleaning contracts on London Underground from September, and is continuing to transfer staff through TUPE regulations. Interserve staff have already transferred, with Vinci staff due to go over in early December, followed by ISS staff in February.

The contract was...

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