Estimado Chris,

Le escribo en respuesta al mensaje que figura a continuación por parte del Vicerrector con respecto a la decisión de la Junta de Administración de contratar a los trabajadores subcontratados por la empresa.

Si bien nos agrada esta decisión, la declaración no es suficiente para finalizar la campaña interna en la Universidad de Londres o detener la huelga que se realizará la semana próxima.

Las interrupciones a la actividad de la Universidad continuarán (estoy seguro de que sabrá que el evento Down and Out de la próxima semana ha elegido trasladar su ubicación en apoyo a los trabajadores), y la Universidad seguirá aumentando su publicidad negativa (vea la carta de hoy del co-líder del Green Party, Jonathan Bartley (adjunto), así como numerosos artículos de prensa (de los cuales este es el último). La situación es probable que se intensifique dada la gran decepción que la declaración del VC ha generado entre los trabajadores.

Por lo tanto, le escribo para aclarar lo que es necesario “para agilizar el proceso para reducir el riesgo de nuevas acciones industriales en la medida de lo posible y garantizar que la Universidad no se distraiga ni obstaculice el avance de su misión académica principal”, algo que tanto nosotros como la Junta deseamos ver.

La declaración actual es poco concisa con respecto a los contratos, los plazos y qué grupos se verán afectados.

Los trabajadores requieren de una declaración similar al anuncio de la Baronesa Amos de SOAS del 4 de agosto de 2017, que dejó claro que la subcontratación terminaría en 12 meses, y que todos los trabajadores serían contratados por la empresa sin riesgo de perder sus trabajos u horas.

IWGB y sus miembros estarían entonces preparados para suspender la campaña, y podríamos empezar a trabajar juntos para garantizar una transición fluida y beneficiosa para ambas partes.

Nuestra posición es razonable, y quisiera recordarle que seguimos (como hemos reiterado en numerosas ocasiones) abiertos a conversar directamente para resolver esta disputa.

Saludos cordiales,

Danny

Danny Millum

Branch Secretary

University of London IWGB

Estimados compañeros,

Les escribo para informarles sobre la discusión y la decisión sobre la Revisión de la Gestión de Instalaciones que se tomó en la reunión de la Junta de Administración ayer por la tarde. La Junta aceptó la recomendación del Grupo de Revisión de la Gestión de Instalaciones que:

La Universidad desarrollará un modelo de provisión eficiente en el que los servicios internos sean respaldados por contratos diseñados para proporcionar tanto una experiencia especializada como la flexibilidad para responder a las diversas necesidades de la Universidad.

Sin embargo, la Junta también planteó sus preocupaciones sobre los costos adicionales contratar a los trabajadores subcontratados y el impacto en la agenda académica de la Universidad. La Junta apoyaría las recomendaciones del Grupo de Revisión siempre que tuviera acceso detallado a los planes y costos que brindarían beneficios tanto al personal como a la Universidad, junto con planes para mitigar el impacto a las actividades académicas y los servicios dirigidos a los estudiantes. La Junta desearía que la Administración de la Universidad agilizara el proceso para reducir el riesgo de nuevas acciones industriales en la medida de lo posible y garantizara que la Universidad no se distraiga ni obstaculice el avance de su misión académica principal.

La decisión traerá consigo una inversión financiera significativa que estará vinculada a iniciativas estratégicas clave:

• Asegurar la seguridad y el cumplimiento en Senate House y en toda nuestra propiedad tras el incremento de los riesgos de seguridad.
• Asegurar que Senate House ofrezca una experiencia de alta calidad para el personal, la actividad académica y los eventos.
• El desarrollo de un programa efectivo sobre la Vida Estudiantil Residencial, reconociendo que necesitamos mejorar y ampliar nuestra atención pastoral para los residentes en los halls.

En términos prácticos, se trabajarán en estas iniciativas en los próximos 12-18 meses y algunos servicios pasarán a ser contratados por la universidad en 2018/19. Serán aquellos servicios que supongan una oportunidad y un fundamento claro para hacerlo, aunque el proceso se podría realizarse en diferentes etapas en los años siguientes.

Me gustaría agradecer al Grupo de Revisión por la minuciosidad del examen y el entendimiento alcanzado sobre un asunto extremadamente complejo. Si bien es posible que el resultado no satisfaga las expectativas de todos, creo que es razonable, moderado y viable.

Basándose en la decisión de la Junta, he pedido la reducción de la seguridad adicional con la esperanza de que ahora se reduzca la amenaza de ocupación estudiantil. Esta será mantenida bajo revisión y se reintroducirá si es necesario a pesar de los altos costos.

Comenzando de inmediato, la Administración de la Universidad trabajará en estrecha colaboración con los sindicatos reconocidos (UNISON y UCU) y contratistas actuales para la transición del personal a la Universidad, así como trabajará con urgencia para abordar los problemas que hayan sido destacados durante la revisión, por ejemplo, la eliminación de los contratos de cero horas.

En nombre del Vicerector,

Dear Board of Trustees members

I am writing as branch secretary of the University of London IWGB with regard to the campaign to bring workers in-house at the University of London.

I would like to start by apologising for not writing to the whole Board. As you probably know, it’s hard to track down contact details for all the members – please do forward this on as appropriate!

As I am sure you are aware, the IWGB represents the vast majority of outsourced workers at the University of London, and has been campaigning since September 2017 to end outsourcing and the discriminatory 2-tier workforce at Senate House.

The campaign has garnered huge press attention and popular support, most recently featured the biggest outsourced worker strike in HE history, and has resulted in the decision of the Board of Trustees (made at the 23 May meeting) to bring workers back in-house.

However, as you will see from my email below, while we welcome this decision in principle, the statement issued by Adrian Smith is extremely vague, and as a consequence has no chance of achieving the stated aims of the Board in reducing the risk of industrial action or ending disruption at the University of London.

Indeed, there is another strike planned for next Wednesday 6 June, which has already caused a major event to be moved.

What we are calling for is very straightforward – a clear statement from the University of London (similar to that made by SOAS) that outsourcing will end in 12 months or less.

Without clarity on this issue, there is no way that our members and supporters (who know that it is only their pressure that has brought the University to this decision) will end their campaign.

We will be making this letter public, so that it is quite clear how reasonable the IWGB position is – and that the ball is clearly in the University of London’s court if it wishes to end this dispute.

Best wishes

Danny

Danny Millum

Branch Secretary

University of London IWGB

From: Danny Millum [mailto:Danny.Millum@sas.ac.uk]
Sent: 30 May 2018 17:08
To: Chris Cobb

Dear Chris

I am writing in response to the message below from the Vice-Chancellor regarding the Board of Trustee’s decision on bringing outsourced workers in-house.

While we welcome the decision in principle expressed below, this statement will not be sufficient to end the in-house campaign at the University of London, or stop the strike action due to take place next week.

The disruption to the University’s activity will continue (I am sure that you will be aware that next week’s Down and Out event has chosen to move location in support of the workers) and the University will continue to accrue negative publicity (see today’s letter from Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley (attached) as well as numerous press articles (of which this is the latest). The situation is only likely to escalate given the extreme disappointment among workers which the VC’s statement has engendered.

I am therefore writing to clarify what is needed ‘to expedite the process to reduce the risk of industrial action as far as possible and ensure the University is not distracted or hindered from furthering its core academic mission’ – something which both we and the Board wish to see.

The current statement is much too vague with regard to contracts, timescales and even which groups will be affected.

Workers require a statement along the lines of the 4 August 2017 SOAS announcement from Baroness Amos, which made clear that outsourcing would be ended within 12 months, and all workers brought in-house house with no loss of jobs or hours.

The IWGB and its members would then be prepared to suspend the campaign, and we could move onto working together to ensure that the transition was a smooth one and beneficial to both parties.

Our position is an eminently reasonable one, and I would remind you that we remain (as I have reiterated on numerous occasions) open to direct talks to resolve this dispute.

Best wishes

Danny

Danny Millum

Branch Secretary

University of London IWGB

From: Human Resources
Sent: 24 May 2018 16:04
To: Central-University <central-university@london.ac.uk>
Subject: Message from the Vice Chancellor

Dear Colleagues

I am writing to you to update you on the discussion and decision on the Facilities Management Review that was taken at the Board of Trustees meeting yesterday afternoon. The Board accepted the recommendation from the Facilities Management Review Group that:

The University will develop an efficient provision model in which in house services are supported by contracts designed to provide both the specialist expertise and the flexibility to respond to the varying needs of the University.

However the Board raised significant concerns over the additional costs of bringing services in house and the impact on the University’s academic agenda. The Board were content to support the Review Group’s recommendations contingent on seeing more detailed plans and costs which would deliver benefits to both staff and the University together with plans for mitigating the impact on academic activities and student facing services. The Board would like the University Management to expedite the process to reduce the risk of further industrial actions as far as possible and ensure the University is not distracted or hindered from furthering its core academic mission.

The decision will mean a significant financial investment which will be linked to key strategic initiatives:

• Ensuring  security and compliance at Senate House and across our estate following heightened security risks
• Ensuring Senate House offers a high quality experience for staff, academic activity and events
• The development of an effective Residential Student Life programme, recognising that we need to enhance and broaden our pastoral care for residents in halls

In practical terms, these initiatives will be progressed over the next 12-18 months with some services being brought in house in 2018/19 where there is an opportunity and clear rationale for doing this although the process will be phased over subsequent years.

I would like to thank the Review Group on the thoroughness of the review and the understanding reached on an extremely complex set of issues. While the outcome may not meet everyone’s expectations, I do believe it to be reasonable, measured and deliverable.

Based in the Board’s decision, I have asked for additional security to be stepped down in the hope that the threat of student occupation is now reduced.  This will be kept under review and will be reintroduced if necessary despite the high costs.

Starting at once, the University Management will work closely with the recognised Trade Unions, (UNISON and UCU) and current contractors to transition staff into the University as well as work urgently to address issues that have been highlighted during the review e.g. the elimination of zero hours contracts.

• Strike for 6 June to go ahead until greater clarity is given
• University announces vague commitment to bring some services in house “where there is an opportunity and clear rationale”, without specifying which services.
• Landmark joint-employer case will continue for time being

24 May: The University of London central administration has today announced that it will start a process to end outsourcing and bring its facilities management contracts in-house, in a major concession to the “Back in-house” campaign launched by the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) in September 2017.

The announcement by the university follows the biggest strike of outsourced workers in UK-higher education history, when over 100 workers walked out on 25 and 26 April.

However, the vagueness of the statement and the lack of clarity on both the timeline and on which contracts will be brought in house means the IWGB will go ahead with the strike of around 130 outsourced cleaners, security officers, receptionists, porters, post room workers and audiovisual workers, scheduled for 6 June.

The university today announced a vague commitment to bring some services in house in 2018/19 “where there is an opportunity and clear rationale”, without specifying which services. The lack of detail on which contracts will be brought in-house and when, as well as the number of caveats in its statement gives no assurance to any of the outsourced workers as to if and when they will be made direct employees.

The IWGB also plans to continue its landmark “joint-employer” case against the University of London for the time being.

IWGB General Secretary Dr Jason Moyer-Lee said: “Today’s announcement demonstrates that collective action and pressure works. The university has clearly understood the current situation is untenable and that they need to do something. But it also shows that the University will always try and squeeze every last penny out of its outsourced staff. Until the University of London announces the termination of all outsourcing on a reasonable timescale, IWGB will continue to campaign.”

IWGB representative and University of London cleaner Margarita Cunalata said: “We’re glad that the university has finally acknowledged our repeated demands to be given equal terms and conditions as other workers at the University. However putting us in this limbo is completely unacceptable. We will continue fighting until we are made direct employees and treated with the dignity we deserve.”

The IWGB wants to take this opportunity to thank all those that have supported the campaign, including John McDonnell MP, Laura Pidcock MP, Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley and singer-songwriter Billy Bragg.

-ENDS-

For more information:

Emiliano Mellino, press officer

press@iwgb.co.uk