Trade union campaigners gathered in Glasgow opposing the 'poverty' wages currently being paid to Central station cleaners.

Contractor staff working in Network Rail-run stations, including Glasgow Central, are reportedly struggling to make ends meet.

The railway infrastructure managers have outsourced the work of cleaning many of their stations to a company called Mitie Facilities Management.

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Cleaners for the Mitie group who carry out the work were surveyed by rail union RMT, with 50 per cent reporting they struggled to make ends meet.

As a result, the union kicked-off a six-stop campaign in Glasgow calling for staff to be paid the Real Living Wage, which would see wages raise to at least £9 per hour.

Glasgow Times:

A petition supporting cleaning staff at six stations, including two in Scotland, now has nearly 19,000 signatures.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash said: “It is a scandal that the staff employed by outsourcing giant Mitie who clean stations for Network Rail, doing some of the dirtiest work in the rail industry at all hours of the night and day, are struggling to make ends meet and are paid below the Real Living Wage.

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“A company that can pay nearly £49 million to its shareholders in dividends in the last five years for doing nothing can afford to pay its cleaners a decent wage for the work that they do.

“Mitie’s cleaners have had enough and are fighting for a real Living Wage, but they need the help of the travelling public and I would urge passengers to sign the petition and help us to persuade Mitie and Network Rail to put an end to this scandal."

Mitie themselves have said they are "fully supportive" of the requests and are working with Network Rail to get staff the Real Living Wage.

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However, Network Rail said pay rates are a matter for the employers, but stressed they had "worked for some years with cleaning contractors to lift salaries so at least the national living wage is paid".

A Mitie spokeswoman added: "We know how difficult it is to maintain a decent standard of living and take care of a family on the National Living Wage, which is why we have worked with most of our top clients to move to Real Living Wage.

Glasgow Times:

"We are in regular dialogue with Network Rail regarding pay and conditions, and will do all we can to work closely with them, and with other stakeholders such as the Business Services Association and Unions where appropriate, to obtain a move to the Real Living Wage for our staff.”