Hundreds of security guards at UCL told to reapply for jobs and face £13,000 pay cut, union says

Hundreds of security guards at a London university will have to reapply for their roles in a major shakeup that could see them lose £13,500 per year, a union says.

Up to 40 security officers who are contracted by Bidvest Noonan to work at UCL could lose their jobs or be offered work elsewhere in the company under new proposals.

Many of those who stay on face a new shift pattern that reduces hours and salary, the IWGB union told the Standard.

A meeting about the proposals was held on Tuesday night with security officers, the union said.

There are 260 security guards across London that will be affected, IWGB general secretary Henry Chango-Lopez said.

“It’s just disgraceful that the university is taking this decision at a time where we are in the middle of a cost of living crisis and when the workers need more support for the university in order to support their families,” he told the Standard.

Many work five days a week, but a new shift pattern of four days on, four days off, has been tabled, meaning officers will go from working 60 hours a week to 40, amounting to a loss of around £13,500 per year, he explained.

Sean Pasquale, who has been a security guard at UCL’s main library for four years, fears his job is on the line because he recently suffered a stroke and subsequent leg ulcer.

“It was said in the meeting [that] those who are on long term sick [leave] are in category one to go first,” he told the Standard.

He said the possibility of losing his job makes him feel “sick to the bone”.

“Because I’ve tried to get back into work. I’ve nearly indebted myself to the tune of it. Maybe £100,000 to get back.

“The only way to have the best healthcare is to pay because I wanted to get back into work because I love working at the main library.”

As part of the proposals, enhanced voluntary redundancy will be offered. The proposals will undergo a consultation period.

But strike action is expected in response to the meeting, Mr Chango-Lopez warned.

“They are more united than ever and they are going to take any action that is needed in order to fight back and to highlight the hypocrisy of the university saying that they are essential workers during the pandemic, clapping them during the pandemic or keeping the university safe, and now basically getting rid of them,” he said.

Ian Dancy, Executive Director of Operations at UCL, said: “Our security colleagues are highly valued and respected members of the UCL community, and we are committed to working closely with them and with Bidvest Noonan throughout this period of change.

“Bidvest Noonan will be doing everything they can to support colleagues through the consultation process and to mitigate any compulsory redundancies. This includes making existing and newly created redeployment opportunities available to ensure security staff can be retained within Bidvest Noonan, and the option of an enhanced voluntary resignation scheme.”

Bidvest Noonan has been approached for comment.

UCL security guard workers have been campaigning to be inhoused since 2019 and took strike action in November in demand for better pay.