UNISON has signed a recognition with Ocian Integrated Services Ltd, covering the company’s employees working in higher education.
The company holds a number of cleaning and portering contracts in universities in London, including Birkbeck College and London School of Economics.
UNISON head of higher education Donna Rowe-Merriman said the agreement “will enable all workers employed by Ocean working in higher education institutions to play an active role in maintaining a good working environment and protection for their terms and conditions of employment through their trade union, UNISON.”
UNISON Greater London regional manager Maggi Ferncome added: “This is a significant step for UNISON members working in Ocean Integrated Services Ltd.
“Ocean staff can be confident that their employer cares about their working lives and conditions by signing this agreement.
“It also ensures that, by negotiating this agreement, UNISON can fully support its members with any issues at work and enables members to raise any problems through a collective voice.”
Ocean managing director Andy Erskine said: “Ocean is extremely pleased that we have been able to put a formal recognition agreement into place with UNISON covering all of our activity within the higher education sector.
“UNISON is a union that shares our goals and ambition of providing a secure working environment for our teams – one that allows every member of that team to realise their full potential.”
He added that the company was looking forward to working together with the union.
The first meeting of the regional consultation committee is currently being arranged and UNISON is looking for workplace representatives to come forward to take an active role in representing members working for the company.
If you want to find out if you are eligible to stand, then please contact Jo Galloway for more details by emailing j.galloway@unison.co.uk.
