Latest developments and next steps in the outsourced workers’ dispute

Last week saw the second wave of strike action by porters, cleaners, security staff and maintenance workers employed by the contractor Cofely GDF-Suez at the University of London. The three day strike, which took place on the 27, 28 and 29 of January, followed the previous two day stoppage in November last year.

Both strikes were unprecedented in their strength and impact.

Following the first strike, immediate improvements to terms and conditions were announced by the University and the company, with new contracts offering more holidays and proper sick pay (previously only statutory sick pay had been paid). Crucially, however, rather than open negotiations with the IWGB over these proposals, they were instead described as having been already accepted without consultation on behalf of the workers by the UNISON union, despite it having only a smattering of largely managerial members.

Furthermore, the proposals fell well short of ensuring equality of treatment with the University’s directly-employed staff, and did nothing to address the job losses threatened by the impending closure of three Halls of Residence, where many of these workers are based.

The IWGB called for further talks over these issues, and when these were refused, returned to members who overwhelmingly endorsed the call for a second strike.

Once again, the strike saw a large turnout, with workers from across all areas of the contract (cleaners, security staff, porters and maintenance workers) and a myriad of different countries (including Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guatemala, Poland, Slovakia, Pakistan, the United States and the United Kingdom) represented. Backing from students, union branches and other supporters was such that once again a strike fund capable of paying all the wages of the participants was raised.

Two of the days saw mass pickets, turning away delivery vans and defying the rain. And on the Tuesday an open top bus took the picket around London, to Cofely HQ, the Royal Opera House, and Westminister, where MPs including John McDonnell and Jeremy Corbyn spoke in support of the strike.

The immediate response of the company has been repression, with letters being sent to workers threatening disciplinary action for attending the picket. But beyond this, there appears to be a growing sense at the University of London that the IWGB is here to stay. Membership among Cofely employees is now above 50 per cent, far higher than that of any other union and normally sufficient to trigger automatic recognition. Directly employed University staff are also joining, as they recognise the benefits of belonging to a union independent of management, and one which is genuinely democratic and prepared to fight on their behalf.

From the IWGB, there is an acceptance that, while the dispute remains live, and more strikes are likely, the best way to resolve their members’ myriad issues is through negotiation, and they are keen to do what they can to remove any stumbling blocks to recognition. The next step is likely to be a formal letter to Cofely management, inviting both sides to make a genuine attempt to resolve the dispute via the involvement of ACAS.

Should this fail, a campaign of rolling strikes of more prolonged duration is envisaged, as workers are determined that the momentum their actions thus far have established be maintained.

To the comrades of University of London branch of IWGB and 3 Cosas campaign

                                                                                                             28 January 2014

Dear comrades

The major concessions you won after your strike last November have had an impact far beyond the issue of outsourcing at the University of London. Given the climate of the past few years in Britain, when most of the major unions gave up any serious struggle that can protect workers’ jobs, working conditions and living standards; your victory over sick pay and holidays has served as an example that workers in Britain and beyond have learnt from.

We salute your continuing struggle on January 27-29 over union recognition, terms and conditions, and job losses. We are sure that yet again you will inspire other workers and various anti-cuts campaigners in Britain and internationally to be more resolute, bold and dynamic in their struggles.

We wish the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) and the 3 Cosas campaign every success in making the University of London and Cofely GDF-Suez submit to the workers’ demands. You deserve the same rights as workers employed directly by the University of London.

Stop discrimination against migrant workers!

Equal pay and rights for all outsourced workers!

Long live the international solidarity and struggle of the working class!

Vuestra lucha es nuestra lucha!

With revolutionary greetings

Iranian Revolutionary Marxists’ Tendency

On day two of the strike, the battle bus took the picket on the road, crisscrossing London via a variety of locations – the UNISON building, the Guardian newspaper, Cofely GDF-Suez headquarters, the Royal Opera House and the Houses of Parliament, where this great photo was taken of workers with supportive MPs John McDonnell and Jeremy Corbyn.

You can find more pictures of yesterday’s picket line here.

Outsourced workers at the University of London’s Central Administration, employed by Cofely GDF-Suez, will be striking this Monday to Wednesday, 27 to 29 January, 2014.

The first and third days of the strike will be at Senate House, University of London, from 6 am until 1 pm. On the second strike day, the entire picket line will board an open top bus and do a whistle-stop tour of high profile sites throughout London, including national media outlets and places of particular interest to the University of London and Cofely. However, we will still be maintaining pickets at the University!

The strike is called by the University of London branch of the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) and is over union recognition, terms and conditions, and job losses. “We’ve made great progress thus far, but our fight will continue until we win all our demands,” said Sonia Chura, Vice-Chair of the University of London Branch of the IWGB.

The strike action comes on the heels of a partially successful two day strike at the end of November, 2013, which won major concession on sick pay and holidays. However, the IWGB is also demanding a formal recognition agreement in order to set up proper negotiating infrastructure. Lots of the workplace issues that later turn in to formal grievances or industrial disputes could potentially be avoided if there was more dialogue between the company and the union.

The second issue of dispute regards terms and conditions for Cofely GDF-Suez workers, specifically sick pay, holidays, and pensions, which- although much improved after the previous strike- are still inferior to those terms and conditions of direct employees of the University of London. The IWGB is demanding parity in these terms and conditions between direct employees of the University of London and Cofely GDF-Suez employees at the University of London.

The third issue of dispute is about job losses. The University of London is planning on shutting down the Garden Halls- where many union members are employed as cleaners- next summer. The IWGB wants the company to re-allocate these workers within the company as vacancies arise in order to prevent job losses.

The demand for improved terms and conditions also forms part of the 3 Cosas Campaign, which has been putting pressure on the University of London for over a year.

Want to make a donation to the strike fund ahead of next week’s strike? One click on our new site will do the trick! See here: http://donate.3cosascampaign.com/

Twitter: @3CosasCampaign #3Cosas

Contact: University of London IWGB Branch Secretary Jason Moyer-Lee Jasonmoyer-lee@iwgb.org.uk and Daniel Cooper, daniel.cooper@ulu.lon.ac.uk .

A NATIONAL SPEAKER TOUR – 3 Cosas, the University of London struggle and beyond: How workers and students can unite, fight and win.

The end of 2013 saw major student struggles for “Cops off campus” – sparked by the occupation of University of London’s headquarters Senate House, which in turn was inspired by the ongoing struggle of outsourced UoL workers for their rights.

The outsourced workers’ 3 Cosas campaign has been a model of dynamism and militancy, and has already won significant concessions from management. The workers are planning to strike again on 27-29 January.

The University of London branch of the Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB) trade union and the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC) are co-organising a speaker tour to spread awareness of and build support for 3 Cosas, and to promote discussion of recent student-worker struggles and how they can contribute to reviving our movements.

Speakers from both IWGB and NCAFC will speak at as many meeting as possible.

The speaker tour will be from Monday 17th February. To book a meeting at your union branch, workplace, university or college, get in touch with Daniel Cooper: daniel.cooper@ulu.lon.ac.uk or ring 07840 136 728

NCAFC: http://www.anticuts.com

IWGB at UoL: https://iwgb.wordpress.com

3 Cosas campaign: http://3cosascampaign.wordpress.com

University of London Union: http://www.ulu.co.uk

With the next strike of outsourced workers at the University of London due on the 27, 28 and 29 of January the IWGB is appealing to all sympathetic union branches to pass a motion supporting the strike and to donate to our strike fund.

Any donations can be made either through paypal or by contacting Daniel Cooper at dancooper13@hotmail.com.

Many thanks for your solidarity! Here follows the suggested model motion:

This branch notes

1. The ongoing “3 Cosas” campaign by outsourced workers at University
of London for equal rights with directly employed workers in terms of
sick pay, holidays and pensions, and recognition of their union IWGB.
2. That their first official strike action in November last year won
major concessions on sick pay and holidays, and they are now striking
again on 27-29 January.

This branch resolves

1. To support and promote the 3 Cosas campaign.
2. To donate £100 to their strike fund and organise a collection.
3. To send a delegation to their picket lines at the end of the month.
4. To seek to organise an educational/fundraising event with a 3 Cosas
speaker, working with local community organisations.

All members are encouraged to come to the IWGB branch meeting on Friday, which will take place at 1pm at ULU in room 2E.

We will be discussing the new contracts, the next BBW strike action and the University of London pay dispute.

The outsourced workers responsible for the cleaning, security, and maintenance at the central University of London are preparing for the next stage of their strike action, which will take place on Monday 27 January, Tuesday 28 January and Wednesday 29 January 2014.

External support for last year’s strike action was CRUCIAL in making it a massive and unprecedented success. There was a great turnout of workers, and huge student support on the picket line on both days.

Following the strike, the contractor(then Balfour Beatty Workplace, now Cofely) issued new contracts which offer improved holiday and sick pay conditions. However, they have still refused to talk to the IWGBs about any of the issues raised.

The IWGB is determined to continue until we have achieved all our demands, which remain:

Our first demand is that our employer, Balfour Beatty / Cofely, recognise our union (the IWGB) so that we can set up proper formal negotiations. Despite the fact that we are the biggest union among outsourced workers on campus, and we are a legally registered union, Balfour Beatty / Cofely and the University of London refuse to recognise us.

Our second demand is that we be entitled to the same sick pay, holidays, and pensions as our colleagues who work directly for the University. Despite the improvements offered, we are still a long way from full equality, especially regarding pensions.

Finally, the University of London has plans to close the Garden Halls (of residence) next summer. We want workers in these halls to be given priority when vacancies arise elsewhere in the University, and for longer-serving staff to be considered first.

This is a logical, common-sense, fair, and relatively cost-free approach to dealing with the upcoming redundancies. However, once again, Balfour Beatty has refused to engage.

Despite the massive turnout for the first strike, the announcement of further strike dates, and our repeated offers of negotiations via ACAS, the company have refused to engage with us in any serious way.

As a result we are prepared to make further sacrifices, and to undertake a THREE-DAY STRIKE!

We need your support more than ever!

Please donate to the strike fund – as low-paid workers already on the breadline, we will inevitably be affected more than most by the loss of earnings which a strike entails. By clicking this button and donating via Pay Pal you can make a massive contribution to the success of the campaign as it enters a critical phase.

For over a year, workers at the University of London have been fighting through their 3 Cosas Campaign – to ensure equality of terms and conditions between the University of London’s direct employees, and its outsourced workers (many of whom are vulnerable migrant workers who speak little English).

There are three areas (‘tres cosas’) where the disparity between University and contract workers is greatest – SICK PAY, HOLIDAYS and PENSIONS.

The campaign aims to persuade the University to ensure that all workers have the same rights in these three areas. It is eminently affordable, and it is the only right thing to do.

The campaign has garnered huge support from MPs, unions, student groups, and human rights organisations. It has put pressure on the University and its contractors through petitions and letter-writing campaigns, and supported demonstrations and marches. Recently the workers undertook a historic 2-day strike, which saw the biggest picket-line turnout in living memory at the University of London. Concessions have been announced, a clear indication that the pressure is paying off, but these fall well short of the equal treatment that the outsourced workers deserve, and the University and its contractors are still refusing to negotiate with the workers themselves (despite numerous overtures) or address the issue of job cuts which seem set to target those most heavily involved in the campaign.

The campaign has announced further strike dates for the end of January, and your support is now crucial for the final push of the campaign – to secure equal rights and proper representation for these previously marginalised workers. Please sign the petition to University of London Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Adrian Smith and help secure a victory which will pave the way for the just treatment of workers across the Higher Education sector and London as a whole.

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/p/3Cosas