16 July 2022
RMT Press Office:
Cleaners on GTR, Network Rail, HS1 and South East Trains are back on the picket lines today on the final day of a three day strike over pay.
Cleaners on GTR, Network Rail, HS1 and South East Trains are back on the picket lines today on the final day of a three day strike over pay.
RMT members who are employed by the outsourcing company Churchill are campaigning for a pay rise to tackle the cost of living crisis, company sick pay and free travel for cleaning staff across the network, to bring them in line with every other railway workers on the network.
Due to the cost-of-living crisis with prices rising at their fastest rate in 30 years and inflation running at 11.7 percent, these workers need a pay rise now.
Churchill made a £10 million profit last year and paid a £12 million dividend in 2020 but the company is refusing to raise cleaners’ wages to a liveable standard.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said:
"These cleaners went over and above during the pandemic, to keep our trains and stations safe and hygienic. Churchill could easily afford to give them £15 an hour but instead, they’re fixed on shovelling money toward their private equity shareholders.
“They think they can turn the clock back to before the pandemic and carry on squeezing money out of their workers.
“Cleaners need a proper pay rise and they’re not prepared to take the appalling by companies like Churchill any longer.
“This campaign is only going to grow and we will not stop until we’ve won justice for our cleaners.”
Notes:
Read RMT’s briefing on Churchill cleaners’ struggle to make ends meet here: Churchill cleaners in their own words - rmt
Read RMT’s briefing on Churchill’s profits here: RMT policy briefing Churchill Cleaners - rmt