{
"type": "rich",
"version": "1.0",
"provider_name": "Action Network",
"provider_url": "https://actionnetwork.org",
"html": "",
"author_name": "IWGB Universities of London Branch",
"author_url": "https://actionnetwork.org/groups/iwgb-university-of-london-branch-2",
"title": "Close the Universities: Protect frontline workers!",
"thumbnail_url": "https://can2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/letters/photos/000/152/869/normal/Close_the_Universities!-4.png",
"description": "The London Mayor has now declared a 'major incident' as the rate of Covid infections has reached a terrifying height and the NHS is on the brink of collapse. Meanwhile, cleaners, security officers, porters and caterers across London's universities are in my cases still having to come into work at non-essential buildings, putting them at risk of infection at work and when travelling to work on public transport, and contributing to this worsening public health crisis. At UCL alone we are now aware that 19 members of security staff have contracted the virus since 4th January. This was totally avoidable if appropriate measures had been taken a few weeks ago and now 19 people's lives are at risk, not to mention their families and members of the public they were forced to commute into work with. Furthermore, many of the workers that continue to work across London universities, such as cleaners in residence halls and catering staff, are on zero hour contracts. These workers are in constant fear that they could lose their job due to sickness or following annual leave or that they might just be laid off. Some of these workers have not been paid for annual leave, been denied payment for closure days and have not received full payment during sickness. In essence, those who have been at the frontline since March are the most precarious. The IWGB has written to London universities where we have members (UCL, University of London, London Southbank, Greenwich, Goldsmiths, Roehampton, Royal College of Art) on multiple occasions since December to demand: The closure of all non-essential buildings and reduction of the size of teams to the minimum staff numbers possible, with emergency rotas being introduced. Daily testing for all workers required to come into work. Alternative Covid-safe transport arrangements provided for staff who have to use public transport to get to work, e.g. taxis provided to travel to work. Additional hazard pay for all workers required to come into work. Furlough on full pay for those workers sent home. No zero hours workers laid off - put all of them on furlough. Shamefully, these communications have for the most part simply been ignored. And it appears that many of the most precarious workers at these universities will not be properly supported and some may even be laid off. This is why our members have taken this matter public - speaking out on TV and in the press - to draw attention to this issue and demand better. Now they need YOUR support. Use our letter writing tool to write a letter to the bosses at UCL, Goldsmiths, University of Greenwich, RCA, Southbank and University of London and demand safety and job security for all staff. #Fight4OurFrontline",
"url": "https://actionnetwork.org/letters/close-the-universities-protect-frontline-workers"
}