Outsourced cleaners on Tyne and Wear Metro

That this House welcomes the Labour Government’s promise to ‘oversee the biggest wave of insourcing for a generation’; notes that the North East Combined Authority transport provider Nexus, while publicly owned, outsources cleaning of the Tyne and Wear Metro to a private company, Churchill, and that this contract is now coming to an end; further notes with concern that, like other outsourced workers, Churchill’s cleaners do not get sick pay and they have no decent pension in retirement; also notes with deep concern that, responding to a recent survey, 71% of its cleaners on the Metro said they sometimes or regularly struggle to get by, 83% said they come into work while sick because they cannot afford to take time off and 86% worry about having enough money in retirement; is shocked to learn that Churchill paid a £43.8 million dividend to its shareholders last year, but has refused to negotiate a pay rise for Nexus’s cleaners this year; welcomes the decision by Welsh Labour and Transport for Wales to insource its cleaning and catering, as well as the Mayor of London’s review of Transport for London’s outsourced cleaning contract; agrees with the RMT union that with Churchill’s contract nearing its end, this is the time to make good on Labour’s promise; and calls on the Mayor of North East England, Kim McGuinness, to direct Nexus to insource this contract.