14 January 2020
RMT Press Office:
Rail union RMT has urged Liverpool City Councillors to support a motion due to be discussed by the authority tomorrow calling for an end to low pay at Merseyrail.
Merseyrail has contracted out its station cleaning work to the outsourcing giant Mitie, who pay their cleaning staff at below the level of the Real Living Wage. Rail union RMT has been fighting to end this scandal as part of its ‘Justice for Cleaners’ campaign and has already received the support of Liverpool’s Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram.
Now, Liverpool City Councillors Elizabeth Hayden and Angela Coleman have tabled a motion, to be debated on Wednesday 15th January, which calls on Merseyrail to bring the cleaners’ pay up to the Real Living Wage and bring them back in house at the end of the contract.
Merseyrail, which holds a 25 year concession from Merseytravel, made a profit of £14.3 million last year and has paid out more than £111 million in dividends to Serco and Abellio since 2010.
Mitie Group plc made an operating profit of £88 million in 2019 and has paid out more than £177 million in dividends since 2014.
RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:
“It is more than time to call an end to the disgrace of low pay on our railways.
“It’s no wonder that companies who are siphoning off millions from our railways, while paying poverty wages, have run out of public sympathy.
“Merseyrail and Mitie need to do the right thing and bring an immediate to poverty pay on their watch.”
Ends.
Notes to Editors:
Liverpool City Council motion
Support of Real Living Wage on Merseyrail for Mitie Cleaners by Councillors Elizabeth Hayden and Angela Coleman
Council believes that cleaners do some of the most important work in the rail industry, making sure our stations are clean and tidy for the travelling public. Our residents employed as cleaners have had their contracts outsourced to Mitie Limited.
Council also believes that Mitie Group made a profit of £50M in the last financial year and Merseyrail made a profit of £14.3M, in addition, a final dividend of £16.5M was recommended.
Council recognises that the RMT Union has had two successful demonstrations in support of the Real Living Wage for Mitie Cleaners, which was attended by Liverpool City Councillors.
Council therefore agrees to:
1. Support the RMT Campaign.
2. Write to Merseyrail encouraging them to sign up to the Real Living Wage Charter.
3. Write to Merseyrail encouraging them to bring the station cleansing and station maintenance contracts back in-house when the current contract expires in 2021.
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