join iwgbThe Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) has been representing staff at universities across London since April 2013. We are now the biggest union at University of London.

We represent members across many different universities – with chapters at Senate House, University College London (UCL), London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, City, Goldsmiths, Royal College of Art and more.

Everyone working at a university in London is entitled to join, regardless of grade, division, occupation or employer – we’ve got members who work for Aramark, Sodexo, Bidvest Noonan and many more – as well as members who work directly for the universities themselves.

To become a member costs as little as EIGHT pounds a month. Join online here or contact the branch secretary for details.

FAQs on joining the IWGB Universities of London branch as a member or supporter

What has the IWGB done so far?

Members of the IWGB have worked tirelessly in universities across London. After many years of campaigning, we forced the University of London to bring all its Senate House workers in-house, and got them to improve terms and conditions too. At Goldsmiths, our members fought to end outsourcing at the university, which they won in February 2020. At UCL, we’ve organised hundreds of outsourced workers, winning parity of pay and conditions with in-house staff, and are continuing our campaign to bring workers fully back in-house. At the University of Greenwich, members took strike action and won the London living wage for all facilities workers, and we continue to campaign to bring workers back in-house. At City University, our members have campaigned successfully against late wages and wage theft. But these successes are just the start. If you join us as a supporter or member, we can grow and expand our struggles, transforming the university for everyone.

I’m already a member of another union. Can I still join?

Yes! Some IWGB members are also in other unions, particularly those who are directly employed by a university. That means they hold membership of two different unions. For example, they are in IWGB and UCU or Unison. We support the work of other unions in universities and coordinate with them to achieve common goals. Even if you’re in another union, we still need you to join IWGB as a member or supporter to help us fight bigger and better struggles against the university bosses.

Can I join if I work at a university outside of London?

You can become a member of our branch if you work at a university in London – whatever your role. If you work outside of London or don’t want to become a member, you can join us as a supporter. You’ll still be part of our movement and we’ll send you regular updates about our campaigns.