UCU comment on SOAS cleaners' deportation fight
16 June 2009
UCU today offered its support in the battle to save cleaners at the University of London's School of School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) from deportation.
Protestors have occupied the university to protest against managers' attacks on migrant workers.
Nine cleaners from the university were taken into detention after a dawn raid by immigration police on Friday. Five have already been deported, and the others could face deportation within days. The cleaners won the London Living Wage and trade union representation after a successful 'Justice for Cleaners' campaign. Protestors have said they believe the raid is managers' 'revenge' for the campaign.
The cleaning staff were told to attend an emergency staff meeting at 6.30am on Friday (12 June). Immigration officers were called in by the cleaning contractor, ISS Cleaning and Hygiene Services, even though it has employed many of the cleaners for years. More than 40 officers, dressed in full riot gear, escorted them to the detention centre. Neither legal representation nor union support were present due to the secrecy surrounding the action. Many were unable to communicate let alone fully understand what was taking place due to the denial of interpreters.
The cleaners are members of the UNISON union at SOAS. They recently went out on strike (Thursday 28 May) to protest the sacking of cleaner and union activist Jose Stalin Bermudez. The campaign has received support from filmmaker Ken Loach who said: 'This raid is the action of a bully. Migrant workers are amongst the most vulnerable – poorly paid and far from home. Recent action by UNISON to secure better wages and conditions at SOAS was good news. Now we wonder if the SOAS cleaners are being targeted because they dared to organise as trade unionists.'
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'UCU proudly supported our colleagues in UNISON in their fight for a living wage. It is incredibly worrying that successful trade union activity seems to lead to bully employers seeking to exact revenge. Migrant workers are the most vulnerable workers in the country; often used illegally and exploited horrifically and need our support.'
Nine cleaners from the university were taken into detention after a dawn raid by immigration police on Friday. Five have already been deported, and the others could face deportation within days. The cleaners won the London Living Wage and trade union representation after a successful 'Justice for Cleaners' campaign. Protestors have said they believe the raid is managers' 'revenge' for the campaign.
The cleaning staff were told to attend an emergency staff meeting at 6.30am on Friday (12 June). Immigration officers were called in by the cleaning contractor, ISS Cleaning and Hygiene Services, even though it has employed many of the cleaners for years. More than 40 officers, dressed in full riot gear, escorted them to the detention centre. Neither legal representation nor union support were present due to the secrecy surrounding the action. Many were unable to communicate let alone fully understand what was taking place due to the denial of interpreters.
The cleaners are members of the UNISON union at SOAS. They recently went out on strike (Thursday 28 May) to protest the sacking of cleaner and union activist Jose Stalin Bermudez. The campaign has received support from filmmaker Ken Loach who said: 'This raid is the action of a bully. Migrant workers are amongst the most vulnerable – poorly paid and far from home. Recent action by UNISON to secure better wages and conditions at SOAS was good news. Now we wonder if the SOAS cleaners are being targeted because they dared to organise as trade unionists.'
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'UCU proudly supported our colleagues in UNISON in their fight for a living wage. It is incredibly worrying that successful trade union activity seems to lead to bully employers seeking to exact revenge. Migrant workers are the most vulnerable workers in the country; often used illegally and exploited horrifically and need our support.'
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