Video and Press Release: RMT cleaners at Eurostar strike over pay, jobs and bullying

RAIL UNION RMT today launched a global campaign in support of Eurostar cleaners who are locked in a bitter dispute with their employers - the Carlisle Group - over pay, threatened redundancies, the introduction of finger printing machines and the victimisation of a union representative.

At the end of last week the Eurostar cleaners took part in a rock-solid 48 hour strike with a noisy picket line taking their message of respect and justice out to the travelling public.

Today, RMT have linked up with international website Labour Start to launch a global email campaign targeted at Eurostar and calling on the company to intervene in the dispute and demand that their cleaning contractors pay their staff the London Living Wage, scrap the Orwellian finger printing machines and start treating the cleaners with the respect that they deserve.

The global Eurostar cleaners campaign can be reached at - http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/solidarityforever/show_campaign.cgi?c...

Bob Crow, RMT general secretary, said:

“Eurostar is a global brand and it makes perfect sense for us to launch a global trade union campaign in support of our members here in London fighting for justice.

“Eurostar cannot ignore the actions of their cleaning contractors, the Carlisle Group, which have forced our members into a campaign of industrial action. The cleaners voted 100% to strike which is a measure of how angry they are.

“RMT is determined to use every means at our disposal to win the fight for justice and respect for the Eurostar cleaners including a global cyber-picket to shine a spotlight on the appalling way that this group of workers is being treated.”

> RMT National News

Saturday, 30th August
Rail union, RMT has announced strike action by staff working on the Carlisle Support Services contract for Northern Trains, covering revenue protection and station gateline roles.
Friday, 29th August
SEAFARERS union RMT said today that the resignation of P&O Ferries chief executive Peter Hebblethwaite, who sacked around 800 workers in 2022 and replaced them with cheap agency labour, as someone who had effectively left the scene of a crime.
Thursday, 21st August
Tube union RMT, today announced rolling strike action across the network beginning on Friday 5th September for seven days, with different grades taking industrial action at differing times.
Saturday, 16th August
Maritime union RMT, will begin industrial action on Orkney Ferries later this month, in a dispute over pay and conditions.
Saturday, 16th August
Rail union RMT, has condemned planned cuts to the British Transport Police (BTP), warning they will seriously endanger the safety of railway staff, particularly those working alone on trains and at stations.