First Great Western train cleaners strike again

Cleaners for train operator First Great Western (FGW) are to stage another walkout in a dispute over a 2% pay offer and zero-hour contracts.

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union working for Mitie will strike in different stages between Thursday and Monday morning.

About 200 staff are involved in the dispute, which has seen previous industrial action.

Mitie had said it hoped to reach an agreement with the union.

Cleaners employed by the firm claim to be FGW's lowest-paid workers.

Earlier this year they rejected an offer of a 2% wage rise with the RMT claiming Mitie can afford an improved offer after making pre-tax 2012/13 profits of £58.8m.

RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "We will be handing out tens of thousands of leaflets to passengers, asking them to email the company in support of the cleaners, who do some of the dirtiest jobs on the rail network for some of the lowest wages."

FGW runs services from London to South Wales and the South West.