The RMT is calling on Transport for London not to renew a £700 million cleaning contract which involves more than 2000 staff. The union claims that the Mayor may have been misled by his advisors at TfL, who had told him that it was too late to halt a re-tendering process.

The RMT has taken legal advice, and says there are ‘serious concerns’ about the accuracy of the guidance provided to the Mayor by TfL executives.

The union has now written to the Mayor of London and members of the TfL Board demanding the immediate suspension of the procurement process.

General secretary Eddie Dempsey said: ‘I am concerned that the Mayor may have been misled as to his options in relation to the future of the pan-TfL cleaning contract.’

RMT had been in formal discussions with TfL over the possibility of bringing the contract back in house, but says that TfL delayed the discussions for four months. Only two meetings were held before the RMT was told in August that the review would not continue.

Mr Dempsey added: ‘A further meeting was expected to be held but in August, we were informed by the Mayor that TfL had told him it was now too late to stop the re-tendering process and that no further contract extension could take place, which might have allowed more time for a genuinely objective options appraisal process.’

The RMT opposes outsourcing in principle, and has been calling for all cleaners to be employed directly, rather than by third-party contractors, which it says deprives them of various benefits, including pensions. 

Transport for London has been invited to comment.

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