The Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB) union has been representing and organising staff at the University of London since April 2013 and is now the biggest branch on campus. We are a democratic, worker-led union, all our achievements are thanks to volunteer work by dedicated members and supporters. Outsourced staff members won the London Living Wage and through our widely supported 3 Cosas campaign, members also won sick pay, annual leave and pensions. So far we have made a big impact fighting for collective rights however, we need volunteers to help us take on an increasing amount of work. Most members are lower paid, migrant workers and some employers try to take advantage by ignoring the law in the hopes that no one will notice. We have grown dramatically over the past year that our resources are struggling to meet the financial demands of casework, strikes and other actions. Our funding comes from very low membership dues and donations and we need the help from volunteers to take some of the pressure off our active membership.
Author: iwgb
Following the emergency meeting last month, the first of the newly scheduled meetings for School of Advanced Study admin staff took place today.
The main concern was over the emails and letters many had received notifying them of their placement in new teams – it was felt that this had been poorly communicated, details in many cases were incorrect, and reporting lines remained to be clarified.
However, undertakings were given that these issues would be addressed, and the meeting was generally a positive one, with staff feeling that these new forums were a good way of airing and resolving grievances of this sort.
It was also agreed that two staff reps would be chosen, and volunteers are now being sought.
Any IWGB members with any concerns regarding changes to their contracts or their terms and conditions, or with any issues with the review process in general, should contact uol@iwgb.org.uk.
As you may have already heard, we’re planning to have an official opening of the new IWGB office on Friday this week!
It’s just very informal – there will be a few drinks and nibbles, and you can drop in anytime from 3pm—7pm on Friday 12th. If anyone wants to continue after that there’s a pub over the road!
The address is:
80 Lambs Conduit Street (Rear – walk down Long Yard and through the gates)
London
WC1N 3LQ
No need to RSVP – but we hope to see you then! Email uol@iwgb.org.uk if you have any questions.
Thanks to the help of numerous members in painting, cleaning and electrifying it, the new office on Lamb’s Conduit Street is now very much up and running! It’s not exactly completely finished, but compared to our previous quarters it already seems like a mansion – we have our own kitchen and everything!
The address is 80 Lamb’s Conduit Street – we’re below and behind the dry cleaner’s, so if you walk round the back you’ll be able to find us.
Please feel free to drop in!
All members are welcome to attend the monthly IWGB branch meeting, which will take place from 1pm in room S16, Institute of Education (just on the left as you go in the cafe on the ground floor).
We’ll be discussing the SAS Review, London Weighting Campaign, new office, new cleaning posts for Garden Halls workers and more.
As ever, any member can submit an agenda item (just get onto Catherine on uol@iwgb.org.uk) and will get a vote on everything that we discuss.
Please do make time to come if you can – the union is run in a democratic and open way, but this functions best when all members participate.
Some of our Halls workers will be coming after their shifts, so don’t feel you have to stay for the whole meeting – come for half an hour at any time from 1pm.
See you there!
We have just published the English version of issue 2 of our IWGB University of London Branch newsletter (Spanish and Polish-language translations coming very soon!).
It contains information for members and supporters about what our branch has been up to, how to get involved, and what we have planned for the future.
Read it here: IWGB University of London Branch Newsletter (August 2014)
The indefatigable Henry ‘El Presidente’ Chango Lopez and Robinson ‘El Comandante’ Baldeon were in Blackpool at the weekend representing the IWGB at the Reclaim the Power: Anti-Fracking Action Camp.
Hundreds of anti-fracking groups from across Lancashire and beyond gathered on the seafront on Sunday to march against the Government’s proposals to introduce fracking and to demand a more sustainable future. It’s estimated that over a thousand people were in attendance at the march.
Henry and Robinson spoke of their experience campaigning, and as well as expressing our support for the demo, also made contact with what sound like very sympathetic North-Western union branches, who have pledged to pass motions backing the IWGB and the 3 Cosas Campaign.
A petition signed by almost 400 staff was delivered today to the University of London. The petition, which calls for an immediate upgrading of London Weighting from the current level of £2134 to £4000, was handed in by IWGB Branch Secretary Catherine Morrissey along with Colin Watson and Graham Seymour from ULCC.
Morrissey was in upbeat mood, saying that ‘the sheer number of signatures from across the University will be hard to ignore. Staff are paying more every year to live and travel in London – and this needs to be recognised with an immediate and substantial upgrade’.
Let’s see what they say! And get in touch at uol@iwgb.org.uk with any questions or suggestions relating to the campaign OR if you haven’t signed the petition and would like to!
It seems that the impending employment tribunal claim raised by the nine 3 Cosas activists from the Garden Halls has put Cofely on their best behaviour, as a new letter received by at risk workers currently in temporary positions promises a 45-day consultation period (far longer than that the statutory minimum), talks with elected reps and a short extension of the contracts, previously due to end in September.
Nonetheless, mass redundancies still beckon, with the most active union members being clearly targetted, and IWGB Vice-Chair Sonia Chura has written to Peter Brench of Cofely calling for further discussion to take place as soon as possible.
5 August
The University of London has told unions that despite a large budget surplus this year, there will be a significant drop over the next few years due to commitments and investments in the estates, so they do not believe that they will be able to meet our claim in full. They have promised more details and a breakdown of costs as well as a concrete offer in September.
It’s clear that unless we can maintain the pressure on the University, they are going to try and get away with offering us the minimum possible – we’ll be submitting your signatures this week, and the next thing to do may well be to try and organise an all-staff meeting to start to show the strength of feeling on this issue.
Any thoughts, just drop us a line at uol@iwgb.org.uk.
22 July 2014
London Weighting is a matter for each individual organisation, so an effective local campaign can win us an immediate salary increase.
The University of London has been given til the end of July to respond to the various claims –depending on their response the next steps may be demonstrations or even strike action!
We’re starting by organising a petition for all UoL workers to sign – so come find us at our stall on Tuesday 29 July outside the Russell Square gates, get in touch directly at uol@iwgb.org.uk
What’s the problem?
• London Weighting at the University of London has been £2,134 since 1992 – no HE institution pays less!
• Had it risen by RPI it would have been £3,968 in 2014!
• Cumulatively we’ve lost out on around £18k.
• Meanwhile average London house prices have gone up 700%. Travel costs are up 250%
How do we compare?
• LMU London Weighting is £4,437. At the University of Westminster it’s £4,220!
• Maximum NHS London Weighting is £6,279!
• At British Gas it’s £5,461
• The Metropolitan Police get £6,615
What are we asking for?
• All 3 unions at the University of London have put in London Weighting Claims.
• The IWGB is asking for an immediate increase to £4,000
• We also want a commitment that this will be tied to RPI in future.
• The estimated initial cost of this would be in the region of £2m
Can they afford it? YES!
The University of London’s operating surplus 2012-13 was £4.9m.
Its cash reserves 2012-13 were £50.2m.
Its net assets were £240.2m
11 senior managers in UoL and the Deanery are on 100k+
24 June 2014
In 1992, the University of London London Weighting allowance was £2,134 per annum.
Guess what it is now? Unbelievably the same, over 20 years later! Had it risen by RPI, it would have been £3,745 by 2012.
Any member of staff working at the UoL throughout this period will have lost out on around £15k.
Police LW is over £6.5k. In the NHS it’s 20% of salary.
In the post-92 Universities it’s a minimum of £3,773 .
Meanwhile housing and transport costs in London have continued to vastly outstrip the rest of the country … and at the same time the University is able to announce surpluses of £4.5m for the last financial year.
If we’re not going to be priced out of our own jobs, we need a new LW settlement – and the University knows it can afford it.
The IWGB struck over London Weighting in November, and again in February this year. A co-ordinated local strike, or even the threat of it, would quickly bring about an improved offer from the University – but we’ll only get this long-overdue increase if we can put pressure en masse on the employer.
Get in touch at uol@iwgb.org.uk now to join the IWGB, and to campaign for a fair London Weighting deal.
Independent Workers Union of Great Britain - Universities of London Branch 