Successful campaign follows others at universities in London
Cleaning staff at Birkbeck, University of London have won their long-running struggle to have their jobs transferred back in-house.
Yesterday was their first day of direct employment since the service was outsourced in the late 1990s. The workers will benefit from improved conditions, plus access to the SAUL pension scheme.
Birkbeck UNISON campaigns officer Edwin Clifford-Coupe said: “The cleaning staff and their UNISON representatives have campaigned courageously for an end to the injustice of outsourcing.
“This phase of the campaign began in early 2018, but it was a continuation of our successful campaigns for the London Living Wage in 2009 and equal holiday and sick pay in 2014.
“Our members’ struggle has paid off. Congratulations to them – and thank you to everyone who has supported our campaign”.
The victory follows successful insourcing campaigns elsewhere in London, but the work at Birkbeck goes on, with the union campaigning for night security and catering staff to be brought back in house too, and at the University of London and UCL.