Railway cleaners launch first strike over pay

Railway cleaners have launched their first national strike over pay, rosters and working conditions.

More than 1,000 members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) took part in industrial action on Saturday.

The workers are employed by private contractors to clean trains for several rail operators including Avanti West Coast.

The government says it is doing all it can to mitigate the impact of strikes.

The cleaners are campaigning for a wage of £15 an hour, sick pay, better holidays and pensions, the union has said.

Rail companies that use contracted-out cleaning providers such as Avanti West Coast, GWR, LNER and TransPennine Express have been affected by the walk out.

Ahead of the strikes union members staged a protest outside the Transport Department (DfT), London

Cleaners on the Docklands Light Railway in London also went on strike in a separate row over pay, rosters and conditions.

"This is the first time cleaners have been taken out on strike across the rail network," said RMT general secretary Mick Lynch.

He added: "It is a national disgrace that many languish on the minimum wage, with no company sick or holiday pay, while doing such an important job of keeping our stations and trains clean."

Planned strikes earlier this month were suspended but there has been no breakthrough in the dispute.