Bring the SOAS cleaners in house now!
This petition had 229 supporters
Cleaners at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) have been campaigning for a decade to be brought in-house - directly employed by SOAS. Yet SOAS has consistently resisted these calls and now plans to sign a new five year deal to outsource the cleaners to a private company on April 18.
During recent negotiations, management tabled no offer that related to cleaners' demands, and postponed any further talks until April 21 - that is, after the contract will have already been signed.
Bringing the cleaners in-house has the overwhelming support of the SOAS community. Here are the figures:
- 98.4% voted in favour at a staff and student referendum.
- Over 220 academics have signed an open letter supporting the cleaners' demands.
- Dozens of student sports teams and societies have urged management to bring the cleaners in-house.
Management's core argument that outsourcing saves them money was dealt a devastating blow when an independent report published earlier this year stated clearly that bringing the cleaners in-house would be "cost neutral".
Year after year, Justice for Cleaners has pushed for dignity, equality and justice in the workplace. At a time when almost 500.000 cleaners are outsourced in the UK, at a time when they are all too often denied basic workers' rights such as a living wage, pensions and sick pay, a victory for the SOAS cleaners could send ripples throughout the system.
Sign this petition and help us send a clear message to SOAS management:
IN HOUSE NOW!