[23 July, 2014]

We express our outrage at the attempted victimisation of a UCU fractional rep and a leading activist in the Fractionals For Fair Play campaign (FFFP) and an elected UCU representative of fractional teaching staff at SOAS. We have learned that senior managers at SOAS have interfered in the decisions of academic managers and are currently attempting to prevent the rep from being re-employed to teach in the academic year 2014-15. Despite the best efforts of UCU to resolve this issue through the normal channels, this attempt to victimise him continues.

The summer months are a difficult period for fractional staff because their contracts come to an end and they need to re-apply for teaching positions next year. Union members and active members of FFFP are therefore particularly vulnerable to politically motivated hiring policies in this period. It appears that senior managers are insisting on pressing ahead this week with interviews for the rep’s current post. As the rep is being excluded from these interviews and this is the basis of his grievance, in our view proceeding with these interviews prejudges the outcome of the grievance process. In that case, even if the grievance were to be upheld, our rep would have been excluded from taking up his current post next year. This is taking place despite management declaring its express commitment to non-victimisation in the agreement signed at ACAS on 23rd May 2014, and despite having recently reaffirmed this principle.

We strongly oppose the victimisation of any members of the FFFP campaign, as well as any attempt to victimise union members and activists for trade union activities and campaigning in general. The prejudice against our rep in this case cannot be separated from the leading role he has played as a union negotiator and in the campaign. FFFP has played an important role – not only at SOAS but also in the sector as a whole – in highlighting the current working conditions of non-permanent staff members and organising to improve them. We call on management to stop preventing our rep seeking re-employment in the position they have held this year without prejudice.

 

Please send messages of protest to the Director and Principal of SOAS, Paul Webley, at pw2@soas.ac.uk.

 

More information: http://fractionalsforfairplay.webs.com/

 

 

[Update,  25 July, 2014:

We are pleased to announce an initial victory in the fight against the victimisation of our rep but questions remain. We have finally received confirmation that our rep has been belatedly shortlisted for interview for his current post and is a candidate for appointment in good stead.

There has been a groundswell of support for our rep in a very short period of time that has helped to ensure a climb-down by the School on the immediate issue. Thank you to everyone who came to yesterday’s protest, signed the petition and sent messages of protest and support.
There remain serious questions that the School needs to answer. The explanation that has been given of why our rep is only now being shortlisted to be interviewed for their current post does not add up. It is claimed that this decision was at the discretion of academic managers but last week they appear to have been over-ruled.
It also needs to be clarified whether the School has observed its own policies and procedures in this case in relation to the use of fixed-term contracts and the right to be consulted over the ending of a fixed term contract and to be reappointed internally.

Fractionals For Fair Play]

Please continue to sign until this is clarified.