Solidarity with SOAS Occupation against deportation of workers

international | worker & community struggles and protests | other press Monday June 15, 2009 13:21 by Darren C - L5I (pc)

After a demonstration this morning by SOAS students to protest against the arrest and deportation of several cleaners at the London School of Oriental and African Studies, around 50 students occupied the Director’s office.

Immigration officials raided SOAS at 6:30am on Friday 12th June and arrested nine cleaners, contracted to ISS.

It is no coincidence that this raid targeted militant workers who had recently been involved in successful struggles for union representation and the London Living Wage as part of the Justice 4 Cleaners campaign. They had also recently gone strike in support of Stalin Bermudez, the sacked SOAS Unison Branch Chair.

This racist attack took place with the full complicity of the SOAS university administration - with Alan Smith, Interim Secretary and Registrar, fatuously claiming that “we believe the checks were carried out quickly and in a sympathetic manner.” Students protested this morning against this disgusting behaviour, and have entered into occupation with the following demands:

• We call on the directorate to request the secretary of state to immediately release the detainees and to prevent the deportation of the three cleaners who are still in detention in the UK.
• For the directorate to release a public statement condemning what has happened to the SOAS cleaners and calling for their immediate release and return.
• To campaign for the return of the cleaners who have already been deported.
• To bring all contract staff in house. SOAS should not use contractors, ISS or others.
• To keep immigration officers from entering campus under ANY circumstances or other forms of collaboration with immigration or police. Universities are for education not for state violence and oppression.
• A year's wage as reparations for all detained and deported staff.
• To hold accountable SOAS managers who were complicit in facilitating the raid and detention of the cleaners, refusing to aid a sick worker and a pregnant woman.
• To reinstate Jose Stalin Bermudez, the SOAS UNISON branch chair.
• To respect the right to organise in Trade Unions unimpeded.
• To provide space and resources for a public meeting to build support for the SOAS 9 and other migrants, in education and beyond, affected by immigration control and racism.
• Amnesty for all those involved.

Five cleaners have already been deported as part of what will become a wider trend through the recession of attacks on the rights of the most under-represented and vulnerable section of workers.

Come down and join the occupation! Protest against the vicious racism and victimisation of migrant workers.

http://worldrevolution.org.uk/