8 April 2019
RMT Press Office:
RMT cleaners on Arriva Rail North to hold protest outside Manchester Victoria station on Wednesday 10th April
RMT cleaners working for ISS on the Arriva Rail North contract will be holding a protest on Wednesday 10th April outside Manchester Victoria station between 7am and 9am.
The protest is over plans by private contractor ISS to unilaterally change the low paid workers terms and conditions so that they will be forced into accepting 11 days’ pay owed in arrears. Currently they work 5 days paid in arrears.
What should be paid as wages will be paid as a loan and then clawed back by the employer. Wages owed will then be paid back only when staff leave the company.
The cleaners are concerned that among other things the changes could affect Universal Credit Welfare Payments, that there hasn’t been sufficient time to change outgoing direct debit payments and that this will mean that they could incur bank charges.
RMT General Secretary, Mick Cash said:
"Our cleaners on Arriva Rail North are protesting over the worsening of their conditions that will force them to accept 11 days’ pay owed in arrears. This will create significant hardship for these low paid workers.
“No thought has been given as to how these low paid workers are going to be able to cope with the detrimental changes to their finances.
“The move will cause unnecessary hardship and inconvenience to workers doing some of the dirtiest jobs on the railway.
“RMT calls on ISS to withdraw these unnecessary proposals.”
Ends.
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