Thursday, June 14, 2007

“Nasty Party” Tories fight for Poverty Wages

This story reminds us all why we must defeat the Tories in GLA elections 2008 and at the next General election. Mayor of London, Ken Livingston, is trying to get all workers in London paid a “living” wage. This is currently calculated at £7.20 gross per hour (net wage of £217.83 per week on 37.5 hours contract). This figure does not include any pensions, sickness pay or other benefits. This is not an excessive wage for anywhere in the UK, but could you imagine how difficult it is to bring up a family in inner London on just £217 per week?

Labour members of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA) which runs London fire stations are trying to make sure that all their contract cleaners are paid a living wage. However the Conservative members on the LFEPA decided to oppose this measure. “Paying London Fire Station cleaners the London Living wage of £7.20 ... is just ridiculous” says Tory Brian “Edward Heath was Gay” Coleman who is also Deputy Chairman of the London Assembly.

Ken Livingston replied “This is the nasty wing of politics. It is scandalous that there was an attempt to block the payment of the London living wage to these cleaners”.How on earth can well paid Tories possibly object to paying someone £7.20 an hour? Last year Maurice Heaster (picture far right), who also voted to stop cleaners wages received £13,501.98 (£259 per week) alone in allowances from the LFEPA.

A final decision will be made by a full committee meeting of the LFEPA. London Citizens will be organising a lobby outside 21st June at 1:30pm, outside Hampton House, 20 Albert Embankment, SE1 7SD. Nearest tube: Vauxhall or Bus: 77 or 344. Map:

3 comments:

Mike Baldock said...

John
Sorry for not having previously read your message of 10 days ago on the highly reccommended Labour Left Forum - I've been very busy and not online much - left-wing putschs and revolutionary cadres to see too etc.
You are most welcome to post whatever you like on my blog.
As long as it isn't ranting and gloating crowing aimed at other comrades in the party :-)

Anonymous said...

Further to the Tories' opposition to paying the fire station cleaners a decent wage, they've now compounded this (as have the LibDems) by appointing a load of unrepresentative members to the fire authority - which Ken has rejected!
http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=12375

John Gray said...

Hi Mike
As if I would....