To: Angie Doll, Chief Executive Officer, GTR
End rail outsourcing – bring our cleaners back in-house!
The largest rail operator in the UK – Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) – has just come into public ownership under Great British Railways.
But without further action, a hidden layer of privatisation – outsourcing – will continue, undermining the government’s public ownership agenda.
Rather than directly employing many of the workers who keep our railways running, GTR have outsourced their work to private companies.
Take cleaning. GTR’s cleaners are actually employed by Churchill, who make an estimated £2.52 million a year from this contract.
Outsourcing profits are made by giving staff low pay, no or little sick pay, and no decent pension. Firms cut jobs to make their profits bigger, forcing everyone else to work harder.
It’s a rip off for taxpayers. It’s a worse service for passengers. And it exploits the workers who keep our railways running.
GTR must set out a timetable to end outsourcing, starting by bringing Churchill cleaners back in-house immediately.
But without further action, a hidden layer of privatisation – outsourcing – will continue, undermining the government’s public ownership agenda.
Rather than directly employing many of the workers who keep our railways running, GTR have outsourced their work to private companies.
Take cleaning. GTR’s cleaners are actually employed by Churchill, who make an estimated £2.52 million a year from this contract.
Outsourcing profits are made by giving staff low pay, no or little sick pay, and no decent pension. Firms cut jobs to make their profits bigger, forcing everyone else to work harder.
It’s a rip off for taxpayers. It’s a worse service for passengers. And it exploits the workers who keep our railways running.
GTR must set out a timetable to end outsourcing, starting by bringing Churchill cleaners back in-house immediately.
Why is this important?
RMT estimates that more than £400 million of the railway's money is lost to outsourcing and sub-contracting firms every year.
The profits from Churchill’s contract at GTR – who operate Thameslink, Southern, Great Northern Services, and Gatwick Express services – could be enough to employ the equivalent of 83 additional cleaners or 160,000 extra hours of cleaning.
The creation of Great British Railways is a big step forward, ending profiteering by train operating companies and creating an integrated publicly owned railway.
But too many people are still being left out, including tens of thousands of outsourced and sub-contracted workers.
Railway workers in outsourced companies work just as hard and contribute just as much to public transport as those directly employed. They deserve to see the benefits of public ownership too.
Add your name to call on the CEO of GTR to end outsourcing, starting with Churchill cleaners.
The profits from Churchill’s contract at GTR – who operate Thameslink, Southern, Great Northern Services, and Gatwick Express services – could be enough to employ the equivalent of 83 additional cleaners or 160,000 extra hours of cleaning.
The creation of Great British Railways is a big step forward, ending profiteering by train operating companies and creating an integrated publicly owned railway.
But too many people are still being left out, including tens of thousands of outsourced and sub-contracted workers.
Railway workers in outsourced companies work just as hard and contribute just as much to public transport as those directly employed. They deserve to see the benefits of public ownership too.
Add your name to call on the CEO of GTR to end outsourcing, starting with Churchill cleaners.
