Students occupy University of London Senate House in solidarity with 3 Cosas struggle

Submitted by LM on 4 December, 2013 - 2:50

A statement from the occupiers:

An independent network of over 100 students is occupying the headquarters of the University of London at Senate House. We can be contacted at londonoccupation@gmail.com and 07754768945.

We have taken over the main management corridor and the Vice Chancellor’s office in opposition to the way our university is being run and the way the higher education sector as a whole is controlled. This action is restorative; displacing the undemocratic and unaccountable management with a democratic space for the free pursuit of knowledge, critical enquiry and dissent. University of London management is behaving in a disgraceful and unaccountable manner, and we have no choice but to take direct action.

We are inspired by the actions of our striking staff – both in the fair pay strike and in the 3 Cosas campaign – and by the wave of student occupations across the country.

We will not leave under our demands are met:

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.

Comments

Submitted by AWL on Wed, 04/12/2013 - 16:47

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