Greens show solidarity with Liverpool Lorne Stewart workers for fair pay
3 March 2014
One of the striking RMT members pictured with Shan Oakes of Yorkshire and Humber Green Party.
Green Party representatives from this region joined Lorne Stewart workers of the RMT union today at Liverpool Lime Street Station to demand a living wage. The Green Party conference delegates joined the workers outside Rail House on Lord Nelson Street.
"The Green Party fights injustice everywhere," said Shan Oakes, from Beverley, representing the Party at the demonstration.
"We are proud to show our support and solidarity to the Lorne Stewart workers and anyone in a similar position," she said.
Shan Oakes serves on the Green Party National Executive for equality issues and is standing for the Yorkshire and Humber region as a European election candidate in May.
"After 8 months of trying to negotiate, Lorne Stewart workers on Merseyrail have rejected the company's derisory below-inflation offer and are making a stand for a just pay settlement without strings. In Lorne Stewart's ballot on taking action not one single vote was cast against," she said.
Lorne Stewart workers, who clean and maintain Merseyrail station, were offered what amounts to a pay cut – with strings attached - while in the last 2 years the company has paid out more that £10 million to shareholders. New starters are excluded from even this 'offer'.
Lorne Stewart says it can't afford to pay more citing its contract with Merseyrail, however its latest profits are £15 million – equivalent to £5000 for every one of its workers.
"Greens campaign for a living wage and stand with everyone who is being pushed into poverty by a millionnaire government whose ideology promotes poverty and inequality in this country," continued Shan Oakes.
Green Party Conference finishes today.
MESSAGE OF SUPPORT FROM GPTU
MESSAGE OF SUPPORT FROM GPTU
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8:49 PM (0 minutes ago)
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Dear Sirs,
As managers of a very profitable company, Lorne Stewart, I am writing to you on behalf of the Green Party Trade Union group to call for Lorne Stewart,to negotiate sensibly with the merseyside RMT cleaning workers who generate your company's profits and your salaries. Making offers to these workers that are, in real terms, pay cuts is not an acceptable or sustainable position for Lorne Stewart to continue.
Today, on the last day of the Green Party Spring conference, Green Party members brought Green Party banners to the RMT workers' demo at Lime Street station as an expression of solidarity which, I am sure many members of the public will agree with., (see http://gptublog.blogspot.
Yours in support of the RMT workers in dispute.
Peter Murry (Secretary)
pp Green Party Trade Union group
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