Re: Mistreatment of cleaning staff at UAL – An Open Letter from Staff and Students

We, staff and students of University of Arts, London, are writing to express our concern and anger at the mistreatment of cleaning staff at UAL. Following the distressing letter of resignation from one staff member (26 February 2020 – attached), we urge the university to reconsider its decision to continue working with outsourcing companies such as Bouygues.

In an appalling account of their personal experience of working at UAL-CSM for Bouygues (the multinational business contracted by UAL to manage cleaning across its sites), one long-serving staff member reports being ‘totally overwhelmed by abuse, injustice and harassment’, and describes ‘the toxic work atmosphere we experience on an almost daily basis’.

We are deeply saddened and angered that a staff member of almost six years was compelled to resign in such circumstances, and we recognise the urgency of their parting request that UAL ‘take matters seriously and investigate all the injustices and abuses that are being committed with their employees’. The attached letter comes from one of three cleaners who resigned last week. It follows the notorious restructure in 2016 after which as many as 13 cleaners at Central Saint Martins resigned. Their roles were never adequately replaced. Workloads and stress for the remaining cleaners have consequently become unbearable; bullying, intimidation and ‘divide and rule’ tactics from managers have increased, wages have not been paid correctly, and cleaners’ concerns about professionalism and their own wellbeing at work have been quashed.

Further, it is alarming to note that intimidation has been targeted towards cleaners who have been active members of their recognised trade union, as part of their struggle towards more just working conditions. The victimisation of staff for participating in legal trade union activities must not be tolerated in any form, and we implore UAL to make this clear immediately to its subcontractors.

Bouygues’s mistreatment of members of staff is shocking, but is sadly typical of outsourcing practices in general. We note that UAL cleaning staff have been managed by a succession of unaccountable companies (OCS, Mitie, Office & General, Bouygues) and conditions have worsened consistently over the years. What we are seeing now is the result: a burned-out and exploited workforce whose daily working life has become a misery.

We find it unacceptable that cleaners at UAL, with whom we share our place of work and study and who are almost entirely migrant, BAME and low-income staff members, are employed by a separate company whose standards of employment are far lower than those for the majority of UAL staff. This creates a shameful two-tier system in which dignified working conditions are withheld from a proportion of our colleagues.

In July 2019, UAL ran the colourful campaign “Discrimination: #NeverOK” in support of LGBTQ+ staff and students, yet sadly it is clear that discrimination is happening daily at our institution. We call upon UAL to heed the 1400+ signatories to a petition to bring the cleaning staff ‘in house’, and to follow the succession of universities across London (Queen Mary’s, SOAS, LSE, KCL, Goldsmiths, Birkbeck) who have already done so.

Given that there are such compelling moral arguments – not to mention economic ones – to employ cleaning staff directly, it is shameful for UAL to continue working with Bouygues or any other outsourcing company. We demand that UAL treats its cleaning staff with the fairness and respect they deserve. As named signatories – students and staff of UAL, we expect a full response back from UAL senior management addressing each of these issues by Friday 13 March (five days from submission of letter) to: [email protected]


Sincerely,

Georgia Cheesman, MRes student, Central Saint Martins
Chloe Kelly, Central Saint Martins
Maisie Jowett, Central Saint Martins
Carole Collet, LVMH Professor, Central Saint Martins
Erik Alexis Lopez Angeles, Central Saint Martins
Sofia Luqui Casais, Central Saint Martins
Peter Close, CSM UCU Branch Secretary
Michael Spencer, Course Leader MA PDP, Central Saint Martins
Madeleine King, Art Programme External Liaison Coordinator, CSM
Imogen Evans, Specialist Technician Print, CSM
Louis Loizou, Senior Lecturer, BA Fashion, CSM
Jack Shearing, CSM
Marc Hulson, CSM
Ann Course, AL BAGCD / BA Illustration, CSM/Camberwell
Abbie Vickress, PL BAGCD / CSM
Arly Torcelino, Specialist / CSM
Heather Sproat
Paul Finn, Platform Leader BA Graphic Communication Design, CSM
Ariel, student, CSM
Max Warren, Senior Lecturer BA Jewelry Design, CSM
Ian McIntyre, lecturer CSM
Charlotte Grace, lecturer CSM
Jennifer Williams-Baffoe, Tech-Enhanced Learning Co-ordinator, CSM
Alis G Smith, Lecturer BA Fashion, CSM
R. Kitch, Lecturer BA Fashion, CSM
Susan Foulston, First Year Coordinator, BA Fashion, CSM
Sarah Gresty, Course Leader, BA Fashion
Mus Mehmet, Printmaking Tech, CSM
Claire Robertson, Senior Lecturer Fashion Communication BA, CSM
Greg Ross, Course Leader (acting), BA Architecture, CSM
David Kappo, Course Leader Fashion Graduate Diploma, CSM
Kira Salter, Stage 3 Leader, BA Graphic Communication Design, CSM
Michael S, Technical Coordinator, Performance, CSM
Alan Dunnett, CSM
Anthony Davies, CSM
Tony Quinn, Course Leader BA Ceramic Design, CSM
Anne Eggebert, BA Fine Art, CSM
Caroline Evans, Research Professor, CSM
Marketa Uhlirova, Senior Research Fellow, CSM
Debbie Lotmore, PA to Course Director MA Fashion, CSM
Roger Sabin, Research Professor, CSM
Natalie Gibson, Senior Lecturer BA Fashion, CSM
Wendy Chapple, Artscom Tutor CSM
Hortense Guillon
Jennifer Warren, PhD student CSM, Academic Support LCF
Beth Bramich, Associate Lecturer CSM & Afterall
Jon Goodbun (RCA)
Michelle Leck, student CSM
Nora Baheta, student CSM
Carlotta Novella, student CSM
David Morris, Afterall & co-pathway leader MRes Art: Exhibition Studies, CSM
Oscar Brito-Gonzalez, Central Saint Martins
Annie Goh, Central Saint Martins
Amber Husain, Central Saint Martins
Adeena Mey, Central Saint Martins
Jessica Brown, Central Saint Martins
Alison Green, Reader and Course Leader, Central Saint Martins
Andrew Brash, Associate Lecturer, Central Saint Martins
Aliyah Qayum, BA Design for Art Direction, London College of Communication
Eva Weinmayr, Associate Lecturer, BA Fine Arts, Central Saint Martins
Dr Tony Sullivan LCF UCU Branch Secretary
Joanne Peel, London College of Fashion
Andrew Boker, CSM
Patrick Lee Yow, Associate Lecturer CSM
Parminder Koboh, Finance Manager CSM
Jan Bigg-Wither, Associate Lecturer, CSM
Mark Aerial Waller, Associate Lecturer, CSM
Steve Keay, Specialist Theatre Technician, CSM
Stephanie Cooper, Pathway Leader FDM BA Fashion, CSM
Johnny Wilkinson, Technical Coordinator, CSM
Theresa Parker, BA Textile Design Pathway Tutor, CSM
Louise Gray, Associate Lecturer, MA Fashion Womenswear, CSM
Catherine Dixon, Graphic Communication Design, CSM
Fabio Piras, MA Fashion
Fleet Bigwood, Pathway Tutor, BA Fashion, CSM
Liza Fior, Professor Arch & Spatial Practice, CSM
Sakiko Kohashi, Associate Lecturer, CSM
Ruth Lang, Senior Lecturer, CSM
Verity-Jane Keefe, Associate Lecturer, CSM
Jake Stephenson, student, CSM
Robert Brown, Associate Lecturer, CSM
Andy Belfield, Associate Lecturer, CSM
Ali Ahmed, student, CSM
Sarah Ghulam, student, CSM
Bianca Blonami, student, CSM
Isabell Park, student, CSM
Arran Noble, student, CSM
Tatiana Muringani, student, CSM
Fern Roberts, student, CSM
Zayn Kaiden, FA
Emily Cowles, student, CSM
Naomi Dines, CSM staff
Andrés Saenz de Sicília, CSM staff
Elizabeth Wright, CSM staff
Owen Parry, CSM staff
Eleni Axioti, CSM staff
Julia King, CSM staff
Lyanden Samuel, FA
Nyron Martin, FA
Jane Penty, Sustainable Design Leader BAPD (academic), CSM
Rita Kumar, Specialist Print and Dye Technician, CSM
Minoa Moreira, Audience Engagement Coordinator, CSM
Tamsin Waites, KAL CSM
Renate Divers, Admissions Manager CSM
Andy Allum, Ceramic Tech, CSM
Ralph Ball, senior academic CSM
Chris Koning, Academic Support Lecturer, CSM
Rachael La Khan, Post-Grad Community, CSM
Abigail Fletcher, Post-Grad Community, CSM
Laetita First, Post-Grad Community, CSM
Emily Benno, student CSM
Kimmo Moyley, staff CSM
Lois Lo, student CSM in
Lara Smithso, technician CSM
Mimi Maayein, student CSM
Stanley Kayley, student CSM
Lana Nyquist Morton, senior academic, CSM
Roger Tredre, Course Leader MAFC, CSM
Mark Dean, Chaplain, CSM
Sarah Cole, BA Fine Art, CSM
Alexi Panagiotou, Key Associate Lecturer, BAFA (Illustration), CSM
James Stevens, SPC
C Griffith, DACRC
Sarah Hardie, Creative Producer
E Tranza, Specialist Study Skills Co-ordinator, CSM
Jemima Selwyn-Crome, BA Fine Art, CSM
C. Brown, BA Fine Art XD, CSM
Michelle Romion, CSM
N. Weiner, Stage Leader, CSM
M Ashley, Associate Lecturer. CSM
Steven Ball, Research Fellow, CSM
Lucy Steeds, Reader, CSM
Tom Corby Associate Dean Research CSM
Margaret Wagstaff, Academic Support Lecturer, CSM
Bill Britten, Lecturer, CSM
Chloe Griffith, DACRC Manager, CSM
Richard Reynolds, Course Leader MA Applied Imagination/Joint Head of Academic Support, CSM
Pat Naldi, Lecturer, CSM
Martin McGrath, AL GCD, CSM
Janey Hagger. Outreach Manager CSM
Andrew Sides, lecturer, BA Architecture, CSM
Patricia Williams, Associate Lecturer, CSM
Mark lewis professor fine art
Max Colson, Associate Lecturer and Academic Support Lecturer, Graphic Communication Design, CSM
Andrea Zimmerman, Reader, CSM
Shumi Bose, Senior Lecturer, CSM
Paul Colbeck CSM
Adjoa Armah, Associate Lecturer, CSM
Berni Yates - CSM tutor
Paloma Gormley, Associate Lecturer, CSM
Summer Islam, Associate Lecturer, CSM
Stuart Jones, PhD Supervisor, CSM
Liina Leo, student, CSM
Piran Caseley, Student, CSM
Susan Trangmar Reader in Fine Art
Ken Turner, Student CSM
Hywel Davies, Programme Director, Fashion, CSM
Howard Read AL GCD CSM
James Swinson Research Students Tutor CSM
Leanne Wiggers, Student CSM
Carlota dos Santos, Student CSM
Shepherd Manyika, Outreach,AL, CSM
Hanwen Liu, Student, CSM
Pauline Moon, Academic Support Lecturer, CSM
Ellie Jung, Student, CSM
Fritha Jenkins. Associate Lecturer, CSM
Heather Barnett, Pathway Leader MA Art and Science, CSM
Louise Shelley. Associate Lecturer, BA Fine Art: 3D, CSM
Toni Evans, Student, CSM
Anastassia Radtsenko, Student CSM
Ed Webb-Ingall, LCC
Polly Nash, LCC
Gareth Foote, LCC
Graham Barton, LCC
Freya Guest, LCC
Matt Phull, LCC
Sean McKeown, LCC
Deborah Salter, LCC
Roddy Greski, LCC
Anita Israel, UAL SU
Zirrar - IVM
Gabby Ptasinskaite, LCC
Winnie Wong, student LCC
Cecilie Lauridsen, student LCC
Frank Rodriguez, student LCC
James Childs, LCC
Tsion Tadesse, LCC
Atiuuan Ntiamoan, student LCC
Joseph Gose, student LCC
Ioan Zdravhov, student LCC
Klaus Fried, LCC
Jared Heneneke, student LCC
Mary Bayati, student LCC
Ash Sharma, LCC
Annabel Crowley, LCC
Tony Credland, LCC
Adriana Eysler, LCC
Fabrizio Pizzi, LCC
Lydia Jackson, student LCC
Mariel Top, student LCC
Carolina S, student LCC
Lizzy Deacon, ex-CSM student
Vlatka Horvat, Lecturer, CSM
Cíaran Malik, Senior Lecturer, CSM
Hilary Lloyd, BAFA Lecturer, CSM
Jaap de Maat, Graphic Communication Design, CSM
Maria Radu, student, CSM
Margot Bannerman BAFA Lecturer CSM
Terrence PHEARSE, CSM, MA CCC
Anne Marr, JTM Programme Director, CSM
Jatun Risba, CSM, MA Art & Science
Tahira Mahmood, student CSM
Ying Xin, MA Photo
Melody Azizi CSM Jewellery Design CSM
Mizuki Tochigi, Jewellery Design, CSM
Emily Marks, Jewellery Design student, CSM
Mikel Azcona, Associate Lecturer, CSM
Laida Juanikorena, Associate Lecturer, CSM
Grace Liu, Jewellery Design, CSM
Louise Garrett, CSM
Toby Christian, BAFA Lecturer, CSM
Grace Borchers, CSM
Nathan Cohen, Course Leader, CSM
Fabiola Zanini, Outreach Administrator, CSM
Helena Goldwater, BAFA, CSM
Poornima Guru, CSM
Jasmine Wilson, CSM
Naomi Gibson, CSM
Johanna Wiklund, student CSM
Ella Nelson, student, CSM
Ben Godber, Hourly Paid Lecturer (HPL), CSM
Laurie Martin, student, CSM
Helen Robertson CSM and CCW
Alaena Turner, CSM
Sophia Reinisch, Student, CSM
John Miers, associate lecturer, CSM
Louis Hartnoll, Associate Lecturer, CSM
Nora Heidorn, Associate Lecturer, CSM
Wendy Venables-Gordon Student Adviser CSM.
Annette Robinson Lecturer CCW
Jule Kopke, BA Culture, Criticism and Curation, CSM