Thanks to everyone for their support for last week’s strike, which was the biggest yet! It was a massive success both in terms of security officer participation and outside support.

We’re really overwhelmed and heartened by the support we’ve received from other HE branches across London for our security officers’ strike. Whether it’s been letters to the University, banners on the picket line or strike fund donations it all makes a massive difference and is bringing victory closer. It was great to have Birkbeck UNISON, London Region UCU, London FE UCU and of course the United Voices of the World on the demo last week, as well as the fantastic SOAS Justice for Workers campaign.

This Friday we will get the result of the postroom and porters’ ballot – we are expecting a YES vote, in which case the next strike will be even bigger!

As ever, we await an offer of serious talks from the University and Cordant – until we get one, the strikes will continue, so do please support your colleagues and donate to the strike fund at https://www.crowdpac.co.uk/campaigns/1870/the-independent-workers-union-of-great-britain.

Any questions, just drop Danny a line – dannymillum@iwgb.org.uk.

See below for an email from Dr Jason Moyer-Lee (IWGB General Secretary) to Kim Frost (University Secretary).

Dear Kim

In case you haven’t seen, I thought you might be interested in some of the coverage of this week’s strike by University of London security guards, including one written by one of your security guards himself.

As I’m sure you are already aware by now, there appears to have been an incident of Cordant not abiding by Security Industry Authority (SIA) regulations as many of the “security guards” performing security duties at the protest were not displaying an ID badge.  We also have reason to believe that some of these may not have even been licensed security guards.  Indeed, as soon as we made an announcement at the protest about this, all of the non-ID’d “security guards” were shooed inside the building and Lee Smith (also performing security duties on the day) disappeared from the protest.  Performing security duties without a license and using unlicensed security guards are criminal offenses which needless to say puts your workers at health and safety risks.  We have had at least two complaints from our members that they were assaulted by these non-ID displaying and potentially unlicensed individuals.  All of this was documented with photos and/or video at the time.

Outsourcing low paid staff in order to avoid giving them decent pay and terms and conditions is pretty bad.  Promising them their pay differentials would be maintained and then reneging on that promise whilst sitting idly by as the use of 0 hours contracts becomes rampant on campus is worse.  But allowing your contractor to bring in a bunch of 0 hours, unidentified, and potentially unlicensed security staff in order to break a legitimate strike is truly disgusting.  I have already alerted the SIA to the issue and we are currently looking into the legality and criminal aspects of the entire operation as well as who is and is not licensed (e.g. Lee Smith).  Trust me when I say we will get to the bottom of this and when we do we will pursue both University of London and Cordant to the full extent of the law.

Enjoy your bank holiday weekend!

best,

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/apr/25/love-job-security-guard-but-subtle-apartheid-strike#comments

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/zero-hours-and-short-hours-contracts_uk_59021d50e4b0026db1df4159

http://novaramedia.com/2017/04/27/the-security-officers-striking-for-their-security/

Dr. Jason Moyer-Lee

General Secretary

IWGB

See our letter to Chris Cobb below:

Dear Chris

As you know, security officers at the University of London will be striking next week over zero-hours contracts, inadequate payslips, and broken promises on pay that has meant an effective 25% pay cut.

Many of these staff have worked here for years, and they are extremely reluctant to cause any disruption to fellow staff and students.

However, the University and their security contractor Cordant have given them no alternative. Despite the reasonableness of their demands, all efforts at negotiation have been ignored.

It has now come to light that rather than make any effort to meet these employees and avert this damaging strike, the Cordant is planning:

1. To bring in temporary staff on zero-hours contracts to cover them.
2. To force existing staff to train these replacements (this is already happening).
3. To pay these temporary staff only the minimum wage of £7.50 an hour, despite the University of London guaranteeing that all staff will be paid at least the London Living Wage of £9.75.
4. To place at risk staff and students across the University of London by employing staff with minimum training and no knowledge of the buildings or their occupants.

If the University is aware of this, it is breaking its London Living Wage commitments and openly encouraging the use of zero-hour contracts in order to break the strike. Furthermore it will also be legally culpable should a fire or other serious incident occur  without trained staff on hand to handle it.

Can you therefore confirm that the University will instruct its contractor to abandon this plan, and instead offer a fair solution to the issues raised by its employees?

Can you also confirm that the University is guaranteeing that it is providing a safe environment for staff and students, as it is legally required to do?

Best wishes

Danny

Danny Millum

Treasurer

IWGB

http://iwgb.org.uk/

BREAKING NEWS! The strike ballot results are in! Security officers have voted 100% YES to strike action over pay!

We have just sent the results to Cordant!

We are one of the first unions to successfully ballot under the new Trade Union Act. John Gallogly of the Electoral Reform Services (who ran the ballot) told us: ‘Excellent turnout and one of the first to close with the new requirements’.

We will be announcing strike dates imminently!

Any questions please contact us via uol@iwgb.org.uk.