School Transport Workers Take Industrial Action
CT Plus employees striking over 'poverty pay'
GMB members who work for CT Plus in Wandsworth will be taking industrial action this Wednesday (17 July) over long standing issues over pay.
GMB Southern say they have been waiting in vain for a pay offer for over three months.
Many of the workers, who support pupils with Special Educational Needs to get to and from school, were employed by Wandsworth Council before they were transferred out to the private contractor CT Plus. Because of this transfer, the staff are on different sets of terms and conditions and pay, with the rates differing significantly between other staff doing the same job.
The union say some of the workforce are earning as little as £8.60 and that they have been due a pay rise since 1 April and despite an offer raising the hourly rate to £9.02 the workforce have still voted 100% in support of industrial action. In addition it is claimed that some of those on the terms transferred form the council are still owed back pay which is now over a year late.
A picket is being set up this Wednesday from 6:00am to 10:00am at the Frogmore Depot on Dornay Street in Wandsworth.
Andy Prendergast, GMB Senior Organiser said, "These members who support pupils with Special Educational Needs to get to and from school do a very challenging job. Some of them drive the vehicles and others are personal assistants supporting pupils onto and off of the vehicles. They are a vital lifeline for some of these children who wouldn’t be able to access education without them.
"Our members take a huge amount of pride in the work they do, making sure that vulnerable children get taken to and from school safely every day and striking is the last thing they want to do.
"However, the fact is that they are getting vastly different wages and terms and conditions for performing exactly the same job. Those on CT Plus contracts are paid almost £2 per hour below the London Living wage, a rate that is quite frankly an insult considering the work they do and the care they show the children.
"We had hoped that these issues could have been resolved peacefully but we have been waiting in vain for a pay offer for over three months and our members have decided that enough is enough. “
We have asked for a comment from CT Plus.
July 16, 2019