Rail union RMT today slammed train operator c2c for leaving outsourced cleaning staff in filthy, unsafe conditions just a day before the service is due to return to public ownership.
At the Eastham depot, the washing machine used to clean mops and cloths has been broken for two months.
No repairs have been made, forcing cleaners to wash soiled mops by hand and dry them in bin areas—raising serious hygiene concerns for staff and passengers alike.
Stocks of protective gloves have also run out. Only medium sizes remain, which don’t fit most staff. This breaches basic PPE standards and exposes cleaners to chemical burns, infections, and contaminated waste.
RMT warns that dirty mop heads used across trains and stations can potentially spread bacteria like E. coli and norovirus, especially on high-touch surfaces.
Damp, unclean tools also risk mould growth and airborne spores in enclosed spaces.
Meanwhile, basic rest facilities have been neglected at the Fenchurch Street messroom. The break area shared by cleaning, c2c, and security staff—now has just four chairs out of the original eight, leaving workers standing during breaks after physically demanding shifts.
RMT Regional Organiser Kathy Mazur said: “As c2c comes back into public hands this weekend, cleaners working for Bidvest Noonan are still working in privatised conditions that would be unacceptable anywhere else.
“They are handling dirty mops with no gloves, being forced to stand during breaks, and cleaning trains with equipment that should have been condemned months ago.
“This is what outsourcing looks like with no accountability, cutting corners and a total disregard for basic safety. Public ownership must mean decent and proper standards.
“That starts with bringing cleaners and all outsourced workers in-house and treating them with the respect they deserve.”
As part of its national campaign against outsourcing, RMT is calling on Labour to implement their manifesto promise of undertaking the biggest wave on insourcing in a generation and bring contracted workers in house.
