Support Churchill cleaners on Tyne & Wear Metro

Churchill cleaners working on Tyne & Wear Metro have returned a 100% vote for strike action against their stingy bosses who had the gall to describe a zero per cent pay offer as generous! And this is despite Churchill’s pre-tax profits increasing by a massive 81%.

The cleaners have also voted overwhelmingly for strike action over the victimisation and sacking of a Churchill worker (see below).

Craig Johnson, RMT Relief Regional Organiser, commented: “Churchill workers are not prepared to accept poverty wages from these privateers, and are prepared to fight for a better deal”.

This rubbish company wants to stamp down on workers’ pay and conditions. Metro cleaners are on the minimum wage, have no sick pay scheme, and no pension scheme.

Also, they are the only Metro workers who have no free travel – on the system they keep clean.

The RMT is asking for support for Churchill cleaners in their fight for better wages and conditions.

You can tell Churchill Cleaning Services what you think by emailing:

Sacked Churchill Worker

A Churchill cleaner was working on a Sunderland Metro line, which is usually worked Monday to Friday by two people.

On the Sunday he was working it was very busy. There were auditors doing an audit of the stations, and DB Regio (who operate Tyne & Wear Metro) were also checking stations.

When his shift was finished he wrote in the works comment box that more staff were needed. Because of his comments he was fired for ‘bringing the company’s name into disrepute’, and for trying to ‘ruin a company/client relationship’.

Elaine Brunskill

This version of this article was first posted on the Socialist Party website on 1 June 2012 and may vary slightly from the version subsequently printed in The Socialist.