Support the tube cleaners!

Cleaners on the London Underground are fighting for a living wage, for decent pensions, sick pay and other basic rights. Cleaners in the RMT union — who are employed by multinational contractors who answer to Transport for London — have struck for three days in the past three weeks. Cleaners in the Unite union are now also balloting for strike action.Conditions on this job are appalling:

  • Cleaners are often bullied. They have to do such things as handle vomit and shit without proper equipment; they are made to use unsafe chemicals; there have been widespread incidents of sexual harassment.
  • Now many cleaners are facing bullying and victimisation by their bosses for going on strike. Cleaning members of RMT have received letters, suspending them without pay until they can prove their right to work in this country. Others have been suspended without pay for spurious allegations of misconduct. After exploiting cleaners for years, and while cleaners paid their taxes, the companies are using the immigration law to crush the spirit of the strikers.Mayor Boris Johnson told Feminist Fightback and RMT demonstrators at a recent Mayor’s Answers that the cleaners “would get the living wage by August”. But this offer only extends to Metronet. Pressure still needs to be put on Tubelines, which covers one-third of the cleaning contracts. Future strikes are planned for the beginning of August — the cleaners need to turn Johnson’s promises into reality and to win a living wage for all cleaners on the Underground.

  • How you can help
  • • Get involved in actions — Feminist Fightback have organised several solidarity demonstrations. Contact: feminist.fightback@gmail.com or ring 07840 381195or come to our meeting on Monday 28 July 7.30pm to discuss further direct action, ring the above number for details of venue.
  • • Make a donation to the strike fund, for more details:http://rmtplatform.org.uk/cleaners