RMT launches cleaners ballot

28 October 2022

RMT Press Office:

More than 1 in 10 cleaners on the transport network are using food banks, RMT survey finds.

The union's survey of 1,000 contracted out cleaners also found that over a quarter have skipped meals (28%), 1 in 3 are relying on credit cards to pay for cost of living and 84% are struggling to make ends meet.

RMT members working for the likes of Churchill, Mitie and other wealthy contractors have had enough and are being balloted for strike action from today.

The ballot will close on the Tuesday November 22.

Cleaners are demanding £15 an hour, company sick pay, decent holidays and good pensions from contractors - some of whom are raking in profits of over £100 million.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: "Cleaners need a pay rise, company sick pay and holiday entitlement if they are going to get through the cost-of-living crisis.

"For too long contracted out cleaners have been treated as second class workers on the transport network.

"And we have successfully won better terms and conditions on several contracts, including free travel on London Underground.

"However there now needs to be a national push from RMT to ensure no cleaner is left behind.

"They are part and parcel of our industrial trade union, and we are calling time on greedy contractors everywhere."

END

Notes:

RMT is balloting over 1700 cleaners working for contracted out companies across the transport network.

RMT analysed the effects of inflation on the NMW and surveyed 1,000 cleaners asking them about the cost-of-living crisis:

A full-time worker on the National Minimum Wage is around £880 a year worse off now than they were 12 months ago.

96% of cleaners surveyed told RMT that they felt worse off in financial terms than they did last year.

84% of people responding said they sometimes or regularly struggled to make ends meet, with 55% saying they regularly struggle. That’s 33% higher than when we asked the same question 2 years ago.

62% of cleaners reported having reduced their use of heating and hot water.

Half of cleaners reported having had to ask friends or family for financial help.

More than one in three are relying on credit cards to cover everyday spending. 28% said they are missing meals and 26% reported having to cut spending on their children. 13% of cleaners, more than one in 10, reported resorting to food banks in the last year.