On 28 November UCL announced more information about improvements to outsourced workers’ terms and conditions:

  1. UCL has confirmed outsourced workers will receive increased holiday entitlement from 1 December 2019.
  2. 2. Next term, UCL will begin negotiations with UNISON over improving pay and they will implement improved pay on 1 April 2020.
  3. UCL will give equal sickness benefits on 1 July 2020.

See full statement here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2019/nov/equalised-pay-and-benefits-confirmed-ucls-security-cleaning-portering-and-catering-staff

This is very good news: IWGB Outsourced workers are winning.

It is the outsourced workers who made this happen:

  1. For years workers have been complaining about conditions at UCL, but since they united and showed UCL they will not put up with this any longer UCL have started to pay attention.
  2. In October, outsourced workers threatened to launch a campaign and immediately UCL announced they will look into improving terms and conditions.
  3. In November, outsourced workers went on strike and right after that UCL announced they will firm up the timeline for improvements.

However, there are some very important points that are missing from UCL’s announcement today:

  1. UCL do not say what will happen with pay. They say WHEN it will be implemented (April 2020). But not WHAT pay grade outsourced workers will get.
  2. There is no guarantee from UCL that the outsourced workers will get a good deal. UCL could put them anywhere from pay grade 3 upwards. Getting the right pay deal will depend on the workers maintaining pressure on UCL.
  3. UCL’s announcement does not yet mention a timeline for other benefits such as pensions and parental leave. Parity means nothing without such rights!
  4. It does not give any commitment to ending outsourcing. Ending outsourcing is important to lock in everything so that other cowboy subcontractors cannot come along in 2 years time and cut their terms again. We need to get rid of the exploitative and abusive subcontractors now.

UCL is trying to persuade the outsourced workers to take their foot off the pedal. But now is the time to increase the pressure and FINISH THE JOB.

This announcement is the result of the campaign. Let’s see what else we can get UCL to announce before the New Year!

Our STRIKE on Dec 4th goes ahead and our campaign continues until full VICTORY


The power is ours!