Avanti West Coast train cleaners to go on strike in row over pay
Cleaners on trains serving the West Midlands are to go on strike amid growing disputes over pay, a union has announced.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) who clean Avanti West Coast trains - which serve Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire and Shrewsbury - will stage two 48-hour walkouts from the evenings of February 24 and March 10.
The cleaners, employed by Atalian Servest, are paid less than the voluntary Real Living Wage and have no company sick pay, said the RMT.
General secretary Mick Lynch said: "Our cleaner members on Avanti West Coast trains have been left with no choice but to take further strike action. Previous strike action in January was solidly supported across both days.
"We have now called two 48-hour strikes to remind privateer Atalian Servest that this issue is not going away and their latest paltry offer was an insult to our members.
"The people who clean our railways are heroes who risk their lives and health every day to keep our essential services running but the way Atalian Servest is treating its workers on West Coast trains is an utter disgrace."
An Avanti West Coast spokesman said: "We're disappointed by the decision to proceed with industrial action.
"Although the dispute is between the RMT and Atalian Servest, and not with us, we are working alongside our partners to implement a contingency plan. There will no impact on the services we are running in our timetable."
RMT members who clean trains and stations on Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern, Southeastern, Eurostar and HS1 services employed by contractors Churchill will strike on February 23 in a separate row over pay.
