Outsourced transport workers of the RMT union in Newcastle are standing strong against low pay, writes David McAllisterCleaning and catering staff at TransPennine Express carried out 48 hours of strike action on Friday and Saturday of this week against low pay. Cleaning and catering services are each outsourced to two different companies – Rail Gourmet and Bidvest Noonan respectively – both of whom are long overdue in making their poorly paid workers any improved pay offer. Workers took strike action three years ago, which resulted in the employers committing to a ‘roadmap’ to paying staff at least £15 an hour. A review of pay was due back in April, and yet the staff are still waiting for a pay offer nearly four months on. Workers on the Newcastle picket line stressed that the outsourcing and fragmentation of services on the railways make it important that different groups of workers co-ordinate action.