First Great Western cleaners in second walkout over pay

Cleaners on First Great Western (FGW) trains are embarking on their second 24-hour strike today (Friday 25 October) over pay and contracts.

Members of the RMT union working for sub-contractors MITIE on First Great Western are walking out in a dispute over a 2% pay offer and zero hours contracts.

In a statement, the union described the action as a "fight for a living wage and workplace justice as it emerged that the company chief presiding over the culture of low pay and zero hours contracts has raked in £1.37 million."

The strike began at 6am on Friday and will end at 5.59am on Saturday morning.

The union said "anger amongst the workforce has been heightened as it emerged that MITIE, one of the Government’s favourite facilities management companies, have been making a fortune off the backs of their low paid staff.

"The most recent company accounts show that Mitie Group PLC for the year 2012-13 made pre-tax profits of £58.8m, paid out dividends to shareholders of £20.6m (a 11.9% increase) with the highest paid director pocketing £1.374m (a 7.4% increase)."

The latest industrial action follows a 24-hour strike a fortnight ago.

MITIE said passengers should not see any disruption and it is working to reach agreement with the union.

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:

“As it emerges that the Mitie boardroom is awash with cash made off the back of the low-paid workforce there is no doubt that both staff and public anger will be raised to new heights. On Friday, RMT will be handing out tens of thousands of leaflets to FGW passengers asking them to email the company in support of the cleaners who do some of the dirtiest jobs on the network for some of the lowest wages.

“ Mitie RMT members on First Great Western have shown guts and determination throughout this long fight for workplace and pay justice and we expect strong support from across the labour movement as we move into this second phase of industrial action. Mitie are key players in the driving down on wages and working conditions for some of the lowest paid workers in Britain and it is time we all stood together to take them on and expose them, and their supporters in the Government and the rail companies, for just what they are – greedy opportunists making a fast buck out of public contracts at their workers’ expense.

“First Group landed a jackpot rollover with a two year contract extension on Great Western that will make them and their sub-contractors a fortune but while the boardrooms are awash with cash, exploitation at the sharp end on this prestige, inter-city rail contract is rife. Justice says that now is the time for the cleaners out there day and night on Mitie/First Great Western to get their fair share through a Living Wage, decent sick pay and benefits and an end to the evil of zero hours contracts.”