Protest against unfair sacking at SOAS

WEDNESDAY, 4TH MARCH 2009, 9.30am - SOAS STEPS

Stalin, the chair of Unison at SOAS, was told at 5pm today that he has been sacked from SOAS. His dismissal is a clear attack on trade union organisation and the successful Living Wage campaigns that he helped instigate.

A protest has been organised on the steps of SOAS 4th March at 9.30am. The decision follows a solidarity rally of 80 people last week to coincide with his hearing.

At the Bloomsbury-campus living wage meeting at Birkbeck this afternoon it was unanimously decided to make the statement below in support of Stalin and the protest. Please circulate!

At the meeting, which included representatives of Living Wage campaigns and unions from 6 universities, it was decided to call a joint demonstration to be held on May Day, 1st May. Details in the coming weeks.

STATEMENT

We the undersigned condemn the sacking of José Stalin Bermúdez, SOAS Union Branch Chair, by SOAS management. We believe this to be a victimisation due to his prominent role in the successful SOAS Living Wage Campaign. We call on SOAS management to immediately reinstate Stalin.

Please send messages of complaint to Paul Webley, Director and Principal of SOAS, at pw4@soas.ac.uk, and join a public meeting/protest on SOAS steps, Wednesday, 4th March at 9.30 am.

Julia Rapkin, Birkbeck Unison
Liam Taylor, Institute of Education student
Johnny Darlington, SOAS UCU
Ben Sellers, co-president, SOAS SU
Janet Lucitt, Birkbeck law student and London teacher
Dermot Bryers, English for Action
Luke Stobart, campaigns officer, Birkbeck Students Union
Katie Boothby, SOAS student
Sam O'Neill, UCL student
Richard Carabine, Birkbeck UCU
Sebilio Lillo, SOAS student
Naomi Bain, Birkbeck UNISON
Jesse Oldershaw, Birkbeck student and UCL UCU
Christophe Josiffe, Senate House Unison