Left to right: James King, UCU; Alex Tarry, Max Watson, Thandi Lazarus, UNISON; Jeremy Corbyn, MP Islington North (LAB), Wasim Javed, METSU Vice-President Participation & Democracy; Eddie Rowley, UNISON; Adnan Pavel, METSU Vice-President Media & Campaigns
Local MP for Islington North, Jeremy Corbyn, has given his support to our campaign against “Shark Services”. Jeremy visited UNISON members at London Met last week to discuss proposals put forward by the university to privatize jobs and student support services though the “Shared Services” model.
Newly elected Student Union Executive Officers and James King, from the UCU, joined us to indicate the widespread support for our campaign.
The UNISON branch at London Met have been actively campaigning against the plans since they were announced, demanding that jobs and services be kept in-house and that staff terms and conditions and pensions are protected. We don’t want to be outsourced to a private company and have a two-tier workforce with a “race to the bottom” over pay and conditions.
Jeremy, throwing his weight behind our campaign, being photographed (left) in one of our “Shark Services” t-shirts, said:
“London Met University is a diverse community of students and staff, which I am proud to be part of as one of the local MPs. Why on earth would management seek to break up our community and telling support staff they are ‘not allowed’ to be London Met?”
“These private contractors have no interest in the London Met community and have no business turning back offices into money spinners for themselves. I am Proud to be supporting UNISON’s campaign against Shared Services and would urge the university to listen to their very real concerns.”
No to 'shared services' - Lobby of Board of Governors
Our branch recently lobbied a meeting of the university’s Board of Governors as they met to discuss the Shared Services plans, leaving them in no doubt of the strength of feeling amongst staff on this issue. Two of the shortlisted companies who are in contention to win the Shared Services contract have already pulled out of the bidding process amid allegations of a possible conflict of interest. The remaining three companies are BT, Capita and Wipro, but the future of the plans are by no means certain and with enough opposition from staff there is still time to force a u-turn from management.
Lend your voice to the campaign and show management that you want to stay “Proud to be London Met”! You can find out more and join the campaign here: http://www.londonmetunison.org.uk/campaigns/proud/