Senate House, the management and admin centre of the University of London (which you may know was effectively made a no-go area for protestors earlier this year in response to workers demanding decent conditions) has been occupied by around 70 students from various UoL campuses including Kings College, UCL, Goldsmiths, UoA and SOAS (with SASS members in their numbers of course!).
This occupation is in support of the workers who are fighting for better employment conditions/pay and against the sell off of student debt – the same management who squeeze a huge profit out of our education also refuse to treat staff with dignity. Together, we fight them with whatever tactics we can!
Demands from the occupation will follow soon.
#EDIT#
The demands of the University of London Occupation are:
1. That all outsourced workers at the university are awarded a pension, and have improved sick pay and holiday pay so that it is in line with that of in house staff. The University of London should recognise the IWGB as the representative union of their outsourced workers.
2. That the University of London Union (ULU) remains in student hands – democratically run by students – and has its block grant returned.
3. That the Garden Halls – Hughes Parry hall, Commonwealth hall, and Canterbury hall are not outsourced, and that there are no job losses there. UoL halls should have their prices reduced to less than the annual undergraduate maintenance loan (currently £4988/annum).
4. That the University of London, makes a public statement opposing the privatisation of student loans, and Adrian Smith – the Vice-Chancellor of the university of London – should sign up to the Council in Defence of British Universities and the Campaign for the Public University.
5. That the University of London write to the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) to ask that they concede to the demands of striking HE workers in Unite, Unison and UCU for fair pay.
6. That the pay ratio between the lowest paid and the highest paid staff in the university should be reduced to a maximum of 10:1.
7. That financial statements of the University’s academic departments and non-academic services should be published so that they can be scrutinised so that the University’s decisions can be properly held to account by the community. In addition, that the university produces a publicly available Ethical Investment and Procurement Policy which is reported on annually with plenty of opportunity of engagement with staff, students and the wider community.
8. That students and staff are allowed free access in and out the occupation and senate house – with the exception of senior management.
9. That the university refuses to admit the Police into Senate House and refuses to collaborate with any requests by the police for information regarding this action.
10: That there are no disciplinary actions undertaken by the university against any student or staff member participating in this action.