London Underground cleaners could be balloted for strike action over pay disputes, the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) warned on Thursday. The union has declared a formal dispute with private contractors ABM, citing concerns that cleaners do not receive sick pay and are only paid the London Living Wage.
The RMT said it will move to ballot members for strike action unless a "serious" pay offer is made. The potential industrial action would add to existing transport disruption planned for next week.
RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said: "Our members are the people who keep London Underground clean and safe for millions of passengers every single day, but they are treated as second-class workers. They are denied sick pay, scraping by on poverty pensions, and left to struggle month after month. Unless this company comes back with an offer that properly rewards cleaners for their work, and provides basic dignity like sick pay, we will ballot for strike action across the contract."
Separate Tube strikes planned
RMT members on the Underground, including signallers and maintenance workers, are set to launch strikes over pay and conditions next week. Transport for London (TfL) has warned passengers to expect few or no services between Monday and Thursday, with some disruption also expected on Sunday.
TfL has offered a 3.4% pay rise which it described as "fair" but said it cannot afford to meet the RMT's demand for a reduction in the working week. The dispute represents a separate issue from the cleaners' pay concerns.
Docklands Light Railway services will also face disruption next Tuesday and Thursday due to strikes by RMT members in another separate pay dispute.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
