“PRESS RELEASE: Ark Globe Academy’s cleaners bribed with PPE on condition they ‘get rid of their union’”, 16 June 2020

Ark Globe Academy’s cleaners bribed with PPE on condition they “get rid of their union”

• Ark Globe Academy’s cleaning contractor Ridge Crest has been caught on recording bribing cleaners with offers of PPE and potential wage increases on the condition they leave their union 

• Management resorted to the union busting tactic after a spontaneous two-day walkout by the cleaners on the 4th and 5th of June over months of unpaid wages
• The cleaners have also complained of their “poverty wages”, lack of sick pay, lack of cleaning materials and have pledged to strike 
• Ark Globe Academy has refused to cut ties with their union busting contractor and is set to face legal action on grounds of race discrimination.

… The recordings also confirm that Ark was “pretty annoyed” that the cleaners were even unionised or that the union was involved in the school at all. The manager says … “ultimately, I just want to shut the union down” …

UVW has said that the recording shows such a patent and unrestrained form of union busting that legal proceedings will be initiated immediately…

UVW will also start legal proceedings against Ark Globe Academy for discriminating against the cleaners on grounds of their race…

… Matt Jones, Executive Principal of Ark Globe Academy, didn’t even respond to the UVW’s allegation of race discrmination but did acknowledge the actions of his contractor were serious… 

Petros Elia, UVW Organiser, said the following: “Ark Globe Academy is a disgrace. … [Outsourcing] their cleaners on poverty wages … creates a two tiered racially segregated workforce in Ark Globe Academy …   to then condone, or perhaps even encourage their contractor to infringe upon their human rights by trying to stop them from joining a union is utterly reprehensible…”