MPs call on London Mayor to end exploitation of Tube cleaners as RMT says treatment of workers “shames the capital.”

TUBE UNION RMT has welcomed a motion tabled in Parliament today by MPs calling on Transport for London, which is chaired by the London Mayor, to end the exploitation of Underground cleaners.

The MPs intervention came as RMT cleaners are due to demonstrate outside City Hall later today and RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said in an open letter to the London Mayor that the “continuation of such low workplace standards and conditions shame the capital.”

The motion tabled by London MPs including Kate Hoey, David Lammy, Jon Cruddas, Virendra Sharma, John Cryer and Catherine West expresses concern that,
“despite working in dirty and hazardous conditions frequently through the night time and other unsocial hours these hard working and often vulnerable public servants only receive bare minimum statutory sick pay, pensions and holiday entitlement.”

The MPs also say they are:

“further concerned by the decision of the new outsourced Tube cleaning contractor ABM to make employment conditions even worse by introducing an inferior sick pay scheme.”
The motion, which is also supported by MPs outside London, says;
“such a high profile world famous public service as the London Underground should be leading the way in providing decent working conditions for all its staff instead of exploiting vulnerable workers.”

RMT General Secretary Mick Cash said:
“The treatment of Tube cleaners shames the Capital. MPs are saying what the London Mayor should be saying – that it is unacceptable for a foreign global outsourcing outfit like ABM to be allowed to exploit 3000 London Tube cleaners in this way.

“Instead, the Mayor should be acting now to ensure these vulnerable but dedicated public servants receive the same basic conditions as other Tube staff.

“This should be a first step to ending the outsourcing of cleaning on the Tube and returning it to public ownership."