The Leading News & Information Service For The Facilities, Workplace & Built Environment Community

Heading To Senate To Demand Outsourcing End

24 January 2018 | Updated 01 January 1970
 

Hundreds of workers and protesters descended onto University of London Senate House on Thursday January 25 to demand that the university end its outsourcing of essential services and that it directly employ the roughly 250 outsourced workers that work there.

Other demands include an end to zero-hours contracts at the University and the implementation of pay rises.

The strike is being led by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain as part of it's Back In House Campaign which is gaining momentum in the wake of the collapse of Carillion but which also fell at an important hurdle recently when the Government's Central Arbitration Committee ruled against a legal appeal. The IWBG's lawyers had argued that workers outsourced to Cordant had the right to negotiate directly with the University of London.

The campaign against the University and the wider campaign  are both backed by Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell MP and Green Party co-leader Jonathan Bartley who are also roping in other high profile MPs from the left - Jeremy Corbyn in particular.

 

Demo days

A picket line will form at 2:00pm and the protest will get rocking from 6:00pm at Senate House, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HU. A previous strike and demonstration at the same location on November 21, 2017 was timed for maximum impact as the Princess Royal was visiting the University.

To read more about the case that was put forward - Click Here

 

Timing

Thursday 25's strike will coincide with the UK's biggest Postgraduate fair, which is taking place at Senate House on the day. Security officers and receptionists are scheduled on the picket line from 2:00pm with other outsourced workers, including porters, post room staff and catering staff, as well as direct employees, joining the protest from 6:00pm.

John McDonnell said: "By outsourcing its essential services, the university is able to get away with employing these workers under worse conditions than their in-house staff. Outsourced workers receive worse pensions, holiday pay and sick pay entitlements than their in-house colleagues. But more importantly, outsourced staff are generally more likely to suffer from bullying, discrimination and illegal deduction of wages."

IWGB General Secretary Dr Jason Moyer-Lee said: “Mismanagement by outsourcing companies contracted by the University of London has been well documented. The public is becoming aware now more than ever of the massive waste, incompetence and unfair treatment of workers inherent in the outsourcing model and the university of London is no exception. We are calling on them to end outsourcing and end it now.”

IWGB rep and cleaner at the University of London Margarita Cunalata said: “I've been working for six years as a cleaner at the University of London and still they treat me as a second class worker, with far worse terms and conditions than staff directly employed by the university. I'm going to keep on fighting until all of us outsourced workers get a fair deal and are brought in-house.”

The IWGB is the biggest union at the University of London's central administration buildings.

Picture: The clouds will be forming again at University Of London's Senate House. Below - a video featuring Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell MP in support of the Back In House Campaign

 

Article written by Brian Shillibeer | Published 24 January 2018

Share



Related Articles

Union To Make April Fools Out Of OCS And Engie

Having just been awarded contracts with a total value of £1.1 billion, OCS and Engie will be disappointed to learn that strike action could be called before they...

 Read Full Article
At It Again - IWGB Move for Strikes At UCL

The IWGB's campaign against London universities has moved from University of London to focus on University College London. The union is balloting hundreds of...

 Read Full Article
Transfer Deadline Extended

A strike planned for August 26 was called off after Bradford Teaching Hospitals agreed with Unison to delay plans to form Bradford Healthcare Facilities Management Ltd...

 Read Full Article
BEIS Dispute Escalates As Dept Finds Brexit £10 Million

More PCS members working for outsourcing companies at the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy are to take action from this week, joining colleagues who...

 Read Full Article
Imagine All The People Living Life In Peace - Dream On

ASDA, Heathrow and now Liverpool’s John Lennon airport have all been struck with strike threats as two separate unions encourage low paid manual workers to take...

 Read Full Article
Immoral Compass Finds Right Direction

A Compass Group company has agreed to the 'return' of working weeks 'stolen' from employees according to the workers' union Unite. ESS had put their...

 Read Full Article
Summer Of Discontent - Fourth FCO Strike To Hit Interserve

The PCS union is ramping up efforts to make FM companies and the clients they work for hot under the collar as strike action bites home. However, the PCS (Public and...

 Read Full Article
Living Wage Laughed Out The Door - BEIS Strike Planned

Outsourced workers are set for indefinite strike action at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy as their employers laugh at a Living Wage plan....

 Read Full Article
Heightened Passions Lead To Pensions Picket

Furious security and other staff at Glasgow Airport joined the picket line on Monday June 10 to fight for their pensions. The airport says the pension scheme is...

 Read Full Article
Money Monster - Clooney's Club Gets Clattered

George Clooney's exclusive Mayfair Club, where he goes when in London and which is patronised by billionaires and other A-listers, is to be struck by a strike by...

 Read Full Article