From today every single SOAS worker is employed directly on SOAS terms and conditions.
This is massive – they fought for TEN YEARS for this.
Huge congratulations to all the workers and campaigners – and a special shout out to the great Sandy Nicoll…
University of London?
Thanks to UCU for passing on the reply below from Chris Cobb with some more concrete details as to the in-house process and timetable.
For the first time we have some almost concrete dates for some workers. The key section is below, and should be viewed as a massive concrete success for the in-house campaign, in that we now know that soon many outsourced workers will be in-house.
In other words, our tactics are working.
However, it is now even more important that we intensify our efforts when the new academic year starts to force the University to ensure ALL workers are in-house by June next year. (Details of the next steps of the campaign will follow soon!)
The current planning is focused on the following services: security, reception, switchboard, porters, post room, AV and cleaning.
If our current planning progresses as anticipated and our plans are subsequently accepted by the Board of Trustees in the autumn, our aim would be to put in a place an in-house service provision for reception, porters, post room and AV during the second and third (calendar) quarters of 2019.
You will understand that we are not able to be absolute in our timings and the above provisional timings will be subject to discussion with our suppliers and further informed by our, and our suppliers, statutory obligations in respect of the people they (our suppliers) employ to work at the University.
The security and cleaning services are quite complex in that they involve more work streams than the other services and rely on specialist contractors to an extent that the other services do not. The planning in relation to these services will inevitably therefore take longer. Our aim however is to be in a position to outline a provisional timeline in relation to cleaning services by the end of October 2018 and in relation to security by December 2018.
We are not yet in a position to add anything by way of further update in relation to our hard FM, catering and grounds services for the reasons set out in the statement of 29th June 2018. Please be assured however that we remain in active discussion with the current service providers.
Following the recent creation of new posts for health and safety and women’s officers, it has been suggested that we should also create a black and minority ethnic officer.
Given the large proportion of BME members in the UoL branch AND the ongoing discrimination many of them face as outsourced workers we are keen to make sure that they are properly represented.
We will be voting on this at the next branch meeting (Wednesday 29 August, 1230, Lower Mezzanine Floor) and it would be great to have your thoughts and for anyone interested to volunteer.
Drop Danny dannymillum@iwgb.co.uk if you have any questions.
Despite the wishes of the majority of its staff, the biggest strikes by outsourced workers in higher education history, support from high-profile politicians, and £700,000 wasted on extra security, the University of London (UoL) refuses to commit to ending its discriminatory two-tier workforce.
Not even the acres of negative press nor the heartfelt pleas from outsourced staff, the majority of who are from BME backgrounds, have managed to make a chink in the armour of the university’s senior management team.
Incidentally, 80 per cent of the institution’s directly employed staff are white. And guess what? Unlike their outsourced BME colleagues, they have enviable pension arrangements and holiday entitlements, are entitled to sick pay and good maternity and paternity pay. Moreover, the university’s ‘dignity at work’ policy ensures they are treated with respect.
All of this point to institutionalised discrimination, and it is a disgrace.
Please email the university’s new vice-chancellor, Peter Kopelman (vice-chancellor@london.ac.uk) and ask him to end discrimination at UoL and bring workers in-house by June 2019.
This sis just a quick heads up that on Saturday 15 September we will be having a party to raise strike funds for our IWGB in-house campaign, featuring:
All members and non-members are welcome from 4.30-11.30 in the Student Union at SOAS. More details to follow!
TOD@S BIENVENID@S – 15 SEPTIEMBRE 4PM-11:30PM
SOAS
10 Thornhaugh St
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG
One of the issues raised by IWGB representatives at the Information and Consultation of Employees (ICE) forum at the end of July related to payments to first-aiders by the University of London (UoL).
It was pointed out that the allowance, which is currently £8.50 per month, has not increased for 15 years and is not in line with other organisations. Moreover, at the time of the meeting, it transpired that some first-aiders are not even being paid at all.
The university was asked to review this, and IWGB can now report that the human resources and organisational and staff development departments are looking into the issue. This includes a review of what other higher education institutions pay for such a role.
In the meantime, any first-aiders who are not getting paid for their duties or have any questions regarding back pay should email Elizabeth.Morcom@london.ac.uk.
At last week’s branch we voted unanimously to create 2 new positions:
Jonathan Blaney was elected as Health and Safety Officer – if anyone has any issues realting to health and saftey that they would like the union to take forward then please contact him at jonathan.blaney@sas.ac.uk.
Anyone interested in the Women’s Officer position should email catherinemorrissey@iwgb.co.uk – we’ll be electing the new officer at the next meeting!
Independent Workers Union of Great Britain - Universities of London Branch 