At the recent Labour Party conference, London mayor (and ultimate boss of TfL) Sadiq Khan was directly questioned by conference delegate and RMT activist Janine Booth about the outsourcing of Tube cleaning. We transcribe Janine's speech here. For the video, see the embedded tweet below.
"I've worked on London Underground stations for nearly 25 years, and I work alongside cleaners who are amongst the worst paid, worst treated, most exploited workers in London. They are treated little better than the muck they clean up. But my boss, and their ultimate boss, is a Labour mayor, and has been for five years.
There's been lots of positive talk at this conference about in-sourcing, and the disgrace of low pay for essential workers. This is why I wanted to ask this question before Sadiq spoke, but I'll ask it now anyway.
Sadiq, I want to put a direct question to you: will you commit now to bringing London's transport cleaners in house, and significantly improving the pay and conditions they receive for keeping our transport system going - through pandemic, through thick and thin. That's what I believe a Labour mayor should do."
Janine Booth (Lewes CLP) making the point that cleaners on London Underground are paid & treated terribly & she asks @SadiqKhan, will he commit to bring them inhouse & significantly improve their pay & conditions, because "thats what I believe a Labour mayor should do"???? #Lab21 pic.twitter.com/baPo3vPurC
— Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) September 27, 2021