A major contract on the London Underground has been terminated today by Metronet Rail after the discovery by the Transport and General Workers' Union of the systematic withholding of tube cleaners' pay by cleaning company Blue Diamond, employed by Metronet.
The T&G, which represents cleaners on London Underground, discovered that Blue Diamond had been paying their workers £5.05 per hour despite having agreed a basic wage of £5.50 with Metronet at the start of the contract in October 2005.
Metronet agreed at a meeting with the T&G in January to investigate and the T&G today welcomed Metronet's decision to fire Blue Diamond from their prestigious cleaning contract on the District, Circle, Metropolitan, Hammersmith & City and East London lines, believed to be worth in excess of £20 million over three years. This is the first time in twenty years that a contract has been ended due to concerns over the abuse of workers.
Jack Dromey, T&G Deputy General Secretary, said: "Blue Diamond robbed the cleaners, ripping thousands of pounds off hard-working men and women who serve Londoners 24 hours a day. Metronet have done the decent thing, acting promptly and properly to terminate Blue Diamond's contract.
"The T&G is determined to end the often shameful treatment of cleaners. In London many are migrant workers. This decision demonstrates that contractors who behave badly will no longer be employed by responsible client companies. Blue Diamond did the dirty on cleaners and is paying the price."
The three-year contract was awarded to Blue Diamond Services Ltd on 1 October 2005, for sub-surface station cleaning at around 90 stations. Metronet agreed a basic wage of £5.50 per hour for day shift cleaners, and higher rates for night working, weekends and higher grades. The T&G discovered that around 400 cleaners had been paid just £5.05 per hour since October, meaning they have been denied 45p an hour for over four months.
The T&G is organising cleaners in London into the union, and has recently struck a pay and conditions deal for contract cleaners at the Houses of Parliament. Last week, the contractor and the Parliamentary Authorities agreed a deal with the T&G which will take pay to the London Living Wage of £6.70 per hour, 28 days holiday, sick pay, and further negotiations on a pension scheme. The union is in discussion at Canary Wharf on an agreement on terms and conditions for cleaners, and is organising cleaners in the financial City of London
