Outsourced Merseyrail station cleaners are calling on the travel company to employ them directly.
The "Heroes to Zeroes" set up a picket line at Liverpool Central Station on Friday afternoon to protest againt Merseyrail's controversial contract with Mitie. They are involved in a long-running campaign to be brought in house.
Last year seven MPs, the Mayor of Liverpool and local councillors put their names to a letter calling on Merseyrail ’s managing director to change their status. Merseyrail’s contract with Mitie ends in 2023 and union is urging the company to use the opportunity to finally put an end to the outsourcing of cleaning.
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Braving the cold on Friday evening, workers carried placards that said "Low pay, no way" and "justice for Mitie cleaners". RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “Outsourcing is a scourge on Britain’s labour market, an obscene way in which wealthy companies rip workers off and pass the buck between each other.
"Cleaners are essential workers' and they should be directly employed. Liverpool politicians have made their views known about this and with the end of Mitie’s contract in sight Merseyrail now has a golden opportunity to put an end to this shameful episode and do the right thing.
"This protest will call on them to work with us and make it happen.”
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