English classes have started up again. They will run on Saturday, with a drop-in class that everyone is welcome to attend,, and an ESOL 2 class. Please contact our education officer Andres if you want to find out more: andressaenz@iwgb.co.uk
Las clases de inglés han comenzado de nuevo. Ellos correrán el sábado, con una clase que todos están bienvenidos y una clase ESOL 2. Póngase en contacto con nuestro oficial de educación, Andres, si desea obtener más información: andressaenz@iwgb.co.uk
IWGB met with Cordant representatives on Monday 20 February. As Danny reports:
The IWGB presented three demands to Cordant. It was promised that the first two would be resolved:
All members currently on zero-hour contracts, or who would like to have a contract which reflects their hours properly should contact Abdul as soon as possible!
The third demand has not yet been met:
The union has provided a deadline of Friday 24 February at 5pm. If we have not received an offer along these lines, or an invitation to a serious negotiation with Cordant and the University about these issues, we will start the procedures to ballot for a strike.
Matthew Taylor is looking into the gig economy on behalf of the government – and our General Secretary Jason Moyer-Lee has given him some pointers in today’s Guardian:
Many more UoL security officers have now joined the IWGB following last week’s meeting over pay, at which the prospect of strike action was raised and wholeheartedly endorsed.
Security officers have seen their pay differentials vastly eroded over the last six years, from nearly two pounds above the UoL minimum in 2011 to just 19 pence in 2017.
IWGB officials and security guard reps are scheduled to meet with bosses from security contractor Cordant on Monday 20 February, and intend to make the following demands:
Please do get in touch with dannymillum@iwgb.org.uk or abdul.bakhsh@outlook.com for more information.
BREAKING NEWS! Since this article was published this morning the University of London have been in touch with the IWGB with partial answers to the issues raised. Get in touch (uol@iwgb.org.uk) if you want more details!
IWGB members working in the maintenance team are to launch a formal collective grievance against the University and its contractor Bouygues following a series of failings relating to the re-discovery of asbestos across the University of London site.
The site had been declared asbestos-free following a series of previous scandals, most recently in 2002-3 at the then Institute of Germanic Studies.
However, it recently transpired that these tests had not been carried out properly, and that areas which had been declared safe were in fact contaminated.
Staff who have been working in those areas are understandably extremely concerned as to the danger they might have been exposed to. However, despite the gravity of the situation, the University has thus far only provided vague and generic assurances that the asbestos is now being cleared, and that the risks were minimal.
Meanwhile:
As such the IWGB, who represent maintenance workers at the University, will be submitting a formal grievance this week, and pressing, among other things, for a full formal enquiry.
Please feel free to get in touch with any concerns via uol@iwgb.org.uk.
The IWGB has been given a grant of £10,000 from the London Legal Support Trust (LLST), to help support the activities of our Legal Department, and as part of the process of becoming an accredited LLST Centre of Excellence. As well as an ongoing independent review of our activities, this will allow us to access more advice and support from the Trust and apply for further funding.
Watch this space for more info!
Radio Free Brighton’s Davy Jones podcast this week featured Tim, a Deliveroo rider, and our General Secretary, Jason Moyer-Lee: https://www.mixcloud.com/RadioFreeBrighton/rfb-davy-jones-interviews-tim-a-local-deliveroo-rider-and-jason-from-the-iwgb-about-deliveroo/
And the BBC has produced this handy explainer on the gig economy and what it means for workers in different industries: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-38930048
Yesterday IWGB Treasurer Danny Millum wrote to Kim Frost, raising issues around cleaners’ contracts and the University’s negotiations with Cordant. The text of the email is below, with an example zero-hours contract letter. We look forward to his swift response…
9 February 2017
Dear Kim
I am writing on behalf of cleaning staff working for the contractor Cordant to bring to the University of London’s attention serious failings with the way certain aspects of the contract are being handled.
Shortly after Cordant took over, a number of permanent cleaning positions were advertised internally, and various cleaners applied for these, and were interviewed.
These posts were of great importance – many of those applying work just three hours a day, and these extra hours would have allowed them to earn closer to a full-time salary while remaining in the same workplace.
However, following the interviews:
We have been given no option but to bring this matter to the University’s attention, and ask:
The affected cleaners feel extremely disrespected and poorly treated – they simply wish for these posts to be awarded fairly to those who originally interviewed for them.
They are in the process of appealing the decision, and considering legal action. In the meantime, we would ask the University to clarify the contract, and compel its contractor to fulfil its obligations to staff. In addition, if it turns out that the University is condoning the use of zero-hour contracts by Cordant, we will be calling attention to this by all means possible.
If you could respond to this as soon as possible that would be much appreciated.
Best wishes,
Danny Millum
Treasurer
IWGB
The Guardian’s Stefan Stern has some praise for IWGB’s recent legal action against CitySprint in this article:
Independent Workers Union of Great Britain - Universities of London Branch 