Cleaners Fast for Justice outside Royal Bank of Scotland. Call for Support
Justice for Cleaners | 07.12.2006 13:33 | Migration | Social Struggles | Workers' Movements | London
Starting Monday 11th Dec, a group of cleaners from the TGWU Justice for Cleaners campaign will be spending several days without food, sitting outside the headquarters of one of UK's richest banks, demanding a fair deal.
Golden Vacuum Cleaner delivered to companies that suck their cleaners dry.
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The cleaners have signed the following pledge, and more are joining as we speak:
Dear Friends and Supporters
Support the RBS Fast
We are five cleaners working in the City of London and Canary Wharf. For 16 months we have been part of the struggle for a living wage for cleaners across the capital. Cleaners work so hard but for very little in return; often no sick pay and no basic holiday pay and many companies will not work with the cleaners and our Union to help us overcome this poverty.
This week one of the major banks cleaned by our brothers and sisters - RBS – announced £9 Billion in profits. They can afford to treat their cleaners with dignity but do not. And they employ a contract cleaning company, Lancaster who has refused to recognize our Union or work with us to achieve a living wage for cleaners.
Now we have had enough. After much thought we have decided that next week we will fast for justice. We will refuse food starting Monday morning to draw attention to the plight of London cleaners.
In a few weeks time it will be Christmas, a time for families and celebration. But not for us and those we care for. City bosses may be celebrating billions of pounds in bonuses but we will be struggling to make ends meet.
Next week we will fast and we will continue to highlight the banks and some cleaning companies refusal accept their duty to their employees.
We are proud to fight for justice for cleaners. We are certain our fight is a just one. We are fully prepared to fast for justice for all cleaners.
This has been a long struggle. Than you for your support – we hope that we can count on your continued backing as we take this measure.
Thank you,
-----
The Fast for Justice will start on Monday 11th with a public act at 1pm. The same evening there will be other events to be confirmed. We hope to follow a similar schedule every day: afternoon high profile event, followed by a more grassroots social evening from 5pm. The fast will be reviewed on Wednesday evening, but the campaign will continue in any case.
The exact location is under negotiation, but will be somewhere in Bishopsgate, near Liverpool Street Station.
We welcome supporters at any time, and we are actively looking for help with battery powered film projections, poetry, pantomime, accoustic music, and other activities to keep spirits. Festival style tat is also needed: rugs, chairs, environmentally-killing patio heaters, etc. Just make sure to ckeck first with organisers, it's not a dump and we will have limited space with all the private zones!
We welcome people from all political backgrounds, but there is a ban on trying to sell leftie newspapers to the cleaners. You are welcome to leave a couple of copies for the temporary library. Anyone -- green, red, black, or city worker type-- endangering potentially vulnerable migrant cleaners with their behaviour will be swiftly dealt with (non violently of course ;-).
Come along!
To find out more or get involved contact Union Organiser Javier Ruiz on 07900 160 851
jruiz@tgwu.org.uk
The cleaners have signed the following pledge, and more are joining as we speak:
Dear Friends and Supporters
Support the RBS Fast
We are five cleaners working in the City of London and Canary Wharf. For 16 months we have been part of the struggle for a living wage for cleaners across the capital. Cleaners work so hard but for very little in return; often no sick pay and no basic holiday pay and many companies will not work with the cleaners and our Union to help us overcome this poverty.
This week one of the major banks cleaned by our brothers and sisters - RBS – announced £9 Billion in profits. They can afford to treat their cleaners with dignity but do not. And they employ a contract cleaning company, Lancaster who has refused to recognize our Union or work with us to achieve a living wage for cleaners.
Now we have had enough. After much thought we have decided that next week we will fast for justice. We will refuse food starting Monday morning to draw attention to the plight of London cleaners.
In a few weeks time it will be Christmas, a time for families and celebration. But not for us and those we care for. City bosses may be celebrating billions of pounds in bonuses but we will be struggling to make ends meet.
Next week we will fast and we will continue to highlight the banks and some cleaning companies refusal accept their duty to their employees.
We are proud to fight for justice for cleaners. We are certain our fight is a just one. We are fully prepared to fast for justice for all cleaners.
This has been a long struggle. Than you for your support – we hope that we can count on your continued backing as we take this measure.
Thank you,
-----
The Fast for Justice will start on Monday 11th with a public act at 1pm. The same evening there will be other events to be confirmed. We hope to follow a similar schedule every day: afternoon high profile event, followed by a more grassroots social evening from 5pm. The fast will be reviewed on Wednesday evening, but the campaign will continue in any case.
The exact location is under negotiation, but will be somewhere in Bishopsgate, near Liverpool Street Station.
We welcome supporters at any time, and we are actively looking for help with battery powered film projections, poetry, pantomime, accoustic music, and other activities to keep spirits. Festival style tat is also needed: rugs, chairs, environmentally-killing patio heaters, etc. Just make sure to ckeck first with organisers, it's not a dump and we will have limited space with all the private zones!
We welcome people from all political backgrounds, but there is a ban on trying to sell leftie newspapers to the cleaners. You are welcome to leave a couple of copies for the temporary library. Anyone -- green, red, black, or city worker type-- endangering potentially vulnerable migrant cleaners with their behaviour will be swiftly dealt with (non violently of course ;-).
Come along!
To find out more or get involved contact Union Organiser Javier Ruiz on 07900 160 851
jruiz@tgwu.org.uk
Justice for Cleaners
Additions
More things you can do
07.12.2006 13:40
Royal Bank of Scotland recently reported £9 billion profits in just
one year. With that kind of money, you'd have thought they could
afford to hire a cleaning company that pays fair wages, holiday pay,
sick pay and recognises union rights. But they insist on contracting
out to Lancaster, a firm who refuse to negotiate for higher wages.
Please e-mail Sir Fred Goodwin, the CEO of RBS at
mediarelations@rbs.co.uk . Tell him:
* Paying vital workers poverty wages while taking million pound
bonuses is unacceptable.
* If Lancaster refuse to sign an agreement with the T&G, RBS should
drop their contract with immediate effect.
* If you are an RBS customer, threaten to move your account unless
Lancaster sign/RBS sack Lancaster.
one year. With that kind of money, you'd have thought they could
afford to hire a cleaning company that pays fair wages, holiday pay,
sick pay and recognises union rights. But they insist on contracting
out to Lancaster, a firm who refuse to negotiate for higher wages.
Please e-mail Sir Fred Goodwin, the CEO of RBS at
mediarelations@rbs.co.uk . Tell him: * Paying vital workers poverty wages while taking million pound
bonuses is unacceptable.
* If Lancaster refuse to sign an agreement with the T&G, RBS should
drop their contract with immediate effect.
* If you are an RBS customer, threaten to move your account unless
Lancaster sign/RBS sack Lancaster.
Justice for Cleaners
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