Rail cleaners to strike at Christmas over pay Underground cleaners are to stage a strike over Christmas in a long-running row over pay. Members of the Rail Maritime and Transport union employed by Churchill's contractors on the Tyne and Wear Metro will walk out for 72 hours from Sunday evening. The cleaners have previously taken industrial action, and talks have been held to try to resolve the dispute, which remains deadlocked. RMT general secretary Bob Crow said: "This battle is now seen as having national significance in the campaign against low pay and exploitation by greedy companies and RMT will continue to ratchet up the pressure for fairness for this important group of North East transport staff as part of our national cleaners' campaign. In the face of the insulting zero pay offers from the company, our members have had no option but to fight back in the battle to eliminate poverty pay.