Cleaners on Wigan trains to begin 48-hour strike in pay dispute

Cleaning staff on some of the trains travelling through Wigan will begin a 48-hour strike this evening.
By Gaynor Clarke
Published 24th Feb 2022, 15:45 BST
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Rail union RMT has confirmed cleaners will refuse to work from 7.30pm today until 7.29pm on Saturday in a dispute over pay.

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'Hero' cleaners working on Wigan trains plan two 48-hour strikes over pay

There will be another 48-hour strike from 7.30pm on Thursday, March 10 to 7.29pm on Saturday, March 12.

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The cleaning staff work on Avanti West Coast trainsThe cleaning staff work on Avanti West Coast trains
The cleaning staff work on Avanti West Coast trains

The cleaners, who have worked throughout the pandemic to keep transport services running, are employed by Atalian Servest Limited, a multi-national outsourcing company based in France.

The union says they are paid £9.68 per hour - less than the real living wage - and have no company sick pay, meaning they frequently go into work when ill because they cannot make ends meet otherwise.

They claim Atalian Servest has refused to make an offer above the real living wage rate of £9.90, with their latest offer amounting to an additional 6p per hour for most staff.

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Related topics:WiganRMTFrance