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OUTSOURCED cleaners who service Avanti West Coast trains are set for another 24-hour strike on Friday in a long-running dispute over poverty wages and sick pay.
Transport union RMT, which represents the staff, said contractor Atalian Servest is “refusing its demands for the hard-working” employees.
The cleaners, who first walked out in the spring, are paid just £9.90 an hour and receive no company sick pay, according to the union.
Atalian had dolled out more than £15 million in dividends to its French owners in 2020-21, it said.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “Cleaners have rightly been hailed as heroes and key workers during the Covid pandemic.
“Yet our members are languishing on poverty wages while the company they work for rakes in the revenues for shareholders.
“RMT is calling time on all cleaning contractors who exploit their staff and we are stepping up to the plate to take firm action in defence of these key railway workers.”
Rolling stock firm Alstom, which manages the contract, said: “Atalian remuneration arrangements are a matter for them and their employees. We understand that they will want to make their own determinations on the terms and conditions of their employees.”
