The SOAS Living Wage Campaign was set up in early 2007 to counter abuses suffered by low paid out-sourced contract workers within the School’s community. It was initiated following a series of protests at SOAS when it was uncovered that a group of cleaners had not been paid for over three months by the University’s cleaning contractor. These were workers earning the minimum wage, £5.35 per hour at the time, many with families to support.

Staff and students at SOAS were outraged to discover the appalling employment conditions these largely migrant workers faced at the hands of one of the UK’s most prestigious Higher Education institutions. Following the example of the Justice for Janitors campaign in the US - and the largely successful support networks built on US campuses such as Harvard and TUFTS - and inspired by the T&GWU/ London Citizens Justice for Cleaners campaign here in the UK the SOAS Living Wage Campaign was launched.

It brings low paid cleaning, catering and security staff together with student activists, the SOAS Students’ Union, UNISON (the union representing SOAS cleaners and other low paid staff) and the lecturers union the UCU in demanding that the SOAS administration ends these abuses and ensures that all those working within the institution are treated with respect, have access to a trade union, receive basic benefits such as sick pay and are paid a realistic living wage for working in one of the most expensive cities in the world.

If you don’t think that’s too much to ask then JOIN US! To sign the petition email livingwage@soas.ac.uk giving your details