THURSDAY 29th OCTOBER – FAQs
“WHO IS SANDY?”
Alexander Nicoll (Sandy) is Secretary of the UNISON trade union branch at SOAS, and has worked at the university for 21 years. He has been unwavering in his solidarity for both students and (especially outsourced) workers; notably in his urging for UNISON support of the 2010 anti-fees protests and in his integral role in the Justice for Cleaners campaign.
On Wednesday, Sandy was suspended on allegations of “gross misconduct” after speaking out in support of student protests.
“WHY ALL THE FUSS?”
Following Tuesday’s student and worker rally, Sandy re-entered the main building to return to his workplace with other UNISON colleagues. After using his faculty card to open the side gate, he faced unsubstantiated accusations from management of letting non-students into the university. Sandy categorically denies these allegations. The School claims to reserve the right to suspend members of staff without evidence.
Students and staff alike find it unconscionable to allow this obvious scapegoating to go unchallenged, particularly in light of Sandy’s tireless commitment to the SOAS community and the vital role he has played in securing labour rights for the lowest-paid workers on campus.
“WHAT HAPPENED ON TUESDAY?”
On Tuesday, a rally was held to consolidate and demonstrate solidarity with the Student Occupation which has been subject to repressive tactics. The rally was supported by over 150 students and included speeches from academic staff. Following the rally, many SOAS students engaged in a peaceful sit-in of the SOAS Directorate office. See also this video for more about the sit-in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vueaZTgE9_s
“WHY ARE FACULTY AND STUDENTS PICKETING?”
By personally targeting and attempting to make an ‘example’ of a vocal member of the SOAS community, and specifically a prominent trade union activist, the university management has severely escalated its already substantial attempts to prevent legitimate opposition to its austerity agenda. This called for an immediate and appropriately robust response as the suspension is an attack on the official channels through which members of the community are expected to handle grievances.
Management has consistently proven itself unwilling to be swayed by student and staff concerns over governance, no matter how they have been presented. It has ignored basic issues like SOAS’ marketability following the closure of its specialist courses. It has further chosen not to reinvest surpluses wisely, such as through insourcing workers. Indeed, management’s continued refusal to even listen to logical alternatives to its austere fiscal approach is what has made rallies necessary. Students and staff have been ignored, silenced, and now intimidated. It is unacceptable to victimise staff at a time when management has serious accounts and apologies to make to staff. As a result, disruption was necessary to gain the attention of decision-makers, and to let decision-makers know that there are people at SOAS who stand up when someone is singled out and made an example of.
“WHY ARE YOU STOPPING US FROM ACCESSING OUR EDUCATION?”
A common complaint among students at the solidarity action for Sandy was the lack of choice presented in staying out of the Main Building. Those forming the picket line discouraged people from entering the building whilst blocking the entrance. None of the protesters were physically violent at any point. Those forming the picket line sought every non-violent means to discourage people from entering and breaking the picket. In reaction, a small group of student tried to physically push through picketers assaulting them in the process. Following this the university management itself took the decision to close down the building and lock the front doors.
Regardless, Senior Management itself is to blame for the continual infringement upon our education. It is them who have insisted on casualising staff and intimidated and victimised individuals for speaking out for the values SOAS claims to champion. It is them who have prioritised an ideologically-driven surplus at the expense of the courses that make SOAS unique and the community that gives it life.
Contrary to popular perception, the overwhelming majority of those supporting Thursday’s protest were current SOAS students who themselves missed classes. The financial burden of fees weighs on all of us.
The purpose of the rally was to demonstrate solidarity with a member of the SOAS community over a wrongful suspension.
The decision to suspend Sandy is a direct message to staff: the management will not even listen to staff exercising their rights to freedom of assembly and freedom of speech. Such acts must be condemned in the most forceful way, until proper remedies have been taken, including reinstatement of Sandy with immediate effect and a full apology to all staff at SOAS for the intimidation caused by management’s act of silencing and repressing staff activism.
Management has refused to meaningfully engage in dialogue at every turn; any and all meetings that they have called have been rigidly one-sided and on their terms.
“I NEED TO ATTEND MY LECTURE”
We are all students and we all want to attend our lectures. We also do not want our education to be undermined. However, the power to resolve this situation lies in the hands of Senior Management who has continued to refuse to engage with student, various campaigns, and union demands. Instead they have continued to victimise those who want to speak out.
We urge you to write to the management and demand that they start negotiating with students and staff immediately. Additionally, we suggest that you contact your lecturer as some lectures are being rearranged at other SOAS buildings or in UCL/Birkbeck. Your lecturer may also be withholding teaching as a sign of solidarity. Do contact lecturers on an individual basis.
“I NEED TO USE THE LIBRARY”
All SOAS students are entitled to use all UoL libraries. The nearest ones are UCL, Senate House and Birkbeck.
“I CAN’T ACCESS THE PRAYER ROOM”
There are prayer rooms in Birkbeck and the IoE, located next to SOAS. Please do ask anyone at the picket for directions to these prayer rooms.
“MY STUFF IS INSIDE/IN A LOCKER”
That’s fine, you can enter through a side door. Just ask at the Brunei Gallery reception.
“WHAT IS UNISON?”
UNISON is the second largest trade union in the UK with 1.3 million members. UNISON represents both full- and part-time staff who provide public services in the public and private sectors.
“What is UCU?”
University and Colleges Union is the largest trade union and professional association for academics, lecturers, researchers, trainers and academic-related staff in further and higher education.
WHY HAS THERE BEEN VIOLENCE?
The numerous incidents of management-backed violence against students and staff is very concerning. In addition to the long-term structural violence being meted out on us by the Executive’s austerity programme and their corporatisation of the university, the senior management has been complicit in a number of instances of physical violence.
Cutting off the electricity mains and wifi inside the Brunei Suite has created a fire hazard - in addition to being inconvenient for SOAS staff and students using the Brunei Gallery for its classes. Every night, the air conditioning is put on full blast at great financial and environmental expense, not to mention the health of those occupying. Management is also spending £2,400 per day hiring intimidating 24 hour security to prevent people from entering and exiting the Brunei Suite. This not only has created an additional fire and safety hazard; it has rendered the space inaccessible to those unable to climb through the window.
On Thursday 29 October, picketers were injured. Those standing peacefully resisted acts of physical and verbal aggression by people using violence to break the picket line.
As an occupation, we condemn and work through consultations and dialogue to end any acts of insult or harassment. Yet extra security staff hired by management have been insulting, physically pushing and assaulting people entering and leaving the occupation. Why is this violence going unnoticed and unacknowledged?
“ISN’T THE OCCUPATION JUST SOAS ALUMNI DISRUPTING THE CURRENT STUDENTS’ EDUCATION?”
The occupiers are a mixture of undergraduates (of all years) and postgrads as well as SOAS alumni and concerned individuals. More than 90% of the people involved in the occupation are current SOAS students.