We demand dignified Working Conditions for our cleaning Team!
Khadir Meer, Magdalena Kolodziejczak & Andrew Goodman
Dear Khadir, Magdalena & Andrew,
This past June, the SOAS community held the 13th commemoration of the deportation of nine SOAS cleaning staff after an immigration raid, carried out with the full knowledge and complicity of the university. As always, we demanded and continued to demand that SOAS Management honour their obligations to the safety and wellbeing of all staff.
In recent months we have seen the detrimental impact our university’s choices have had on our facilities and the cleaning staff. During Summer 2020, over 50% (twenty-two of the forty members) of the cleaning team were cut under the “Transformation and Change” process. Not only are staff still mitigating this destructive reduction in capacity, but they are also expected to fulfil more responsibilities required of them due to COVID-19 cleaning policies. As a result, cleaners are continuously overworked and underpaid.
Addressing these issues is long overdue - some even date back to 2015 when cleaners were in-housed and promises were made including the provision of English classes. Others have been brought to our attention more recently such as failure to arrange cover when staff are on sick leave, causing unsustainable workloads for those working on certain days. Additionally, the fact that on Sundays, the cleaning staff do not currently receive the same overtime as other professional services staff (1.5 times pay). It is unacceptable that the cleaning staff's overtime is not equal to the rest of the workforce.
As the SOAS community, we demand that the university:
- HIRES more staff to mitigate the impact of workers fired during Summer 2020.
- SHIFTS the rota so there are more cleaners in the morning and less during the day to make cleaning more effective.
- ESTABLISHES a suitable resting space and common room for the cleaning team that includes a: fridge, changing space, resting space.
- PROVIDES English Classes as promised during in-housing in 2015.
- ENSURES overtime is always the same for cleaners as it is for other professional service workers.
- MEETS with UNISON representatives and cleaning staff to iron out the specific details of these demands.
Our cleaners work tirelessly to keep campus safe and clean for us and deserve safe and dignified working conditions as a bare minimum in return. SOAS must ensure these demands are met in order to preserve their dignity and safety.
Yours,
Sponsored by
To:
Khadir Meer, Magdalena Kolodziejczak & Andrew Goodman
From:
[Your Name]
Dear Khadir, Magdalena & Andrew,
This past June, the SOAS community held the 13th commemoration of the deportation of nine SOAS cleaning staff after an immigration raid, carried out with the full knowledge and complicity of the university. As always, we demanded and continued to demand that SOAS Management honour their obligations to the safety and wellbeing of all staff.
In recent months we have seen the detrimental impact our university’s choices have had on our facilities and the cleaning staff. During Summer 2020, over 50% (twenty-two of the forty members) of the cleaning team were cut under the “Transformation and Change” process. Not only are staff still mitigating this destructive reduction in capacity, but they are also expected to fulfil more responsibilities required of them due to COVID-19 cleaning policies. As a result, cleaners are continuously overworked and underpaid.
Addressing these issues is long overdue - some even date back to 2015 when cleaners were in-housed and promises were made including the provision of English classes. Others have been brought to our attention more recently such as failure to arrange cover when staff are on sick leave, causing unsustainable workloads for those working on certain days. Additionally, the fact that on Sundays, the cleaning staff do not currently receive the same overtime as other professional services staff (1.5 times pay). It is unacceptable that the cleaning staff's overtime is not equal to the rest of the workforce.
As the SOAS community, we demand that the university:
- HIRES more staff to mitigate the impact of workers fired during Summer 2020.
- SHIFTS the rota so there are more cleaners in the morning and less during the day to make cleaning more effective.
- ESTABLISHES a suitable resting space and common room for the cleaning team that includes a: fridge, changing space, resting space.
- PROVIDES English Classes as promised during in-housing in 2015.
- ENSURES overtime is always the same for cleaners as it is for other professional service workers.
- MEETS with UNISON representatives and cleaning staff to iron out the specific details of these demands.
Our cleaners work tirelessly to keep campus safe and clean for us and deserve safe and dignified working conditions as a bare minimum in return. SOAS must ensure these demands are met in order to preserve their dignity and safety.
Yours,