RALLY for Stalin Bermudez

RALLY Friday 12th June
9.00 - 9.30 am

Outside Main SOAS Building
Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG


Joseph Stalin Bermudez, the SOAS UNISON Branch Chair was sacked by the School of Oriental and African Studies, in March 2009, following a deeply flawed and unfair disciplinary process.

Two weeks ago, SOAS UNISON trade union members undertook a very successful strike
action in support of Stalin, actively supported by both SOAS academic staff and SOAS students.

SOAS UNISON is now calling a lobby of the SOAS Governing Body's meeting on June 12th to demand that they review and reverse the appalling decision to sack Stalin.

In sacking Stalin, the School dismissed the personal testimony of the only
independent witness to the events on which the disciplinary investigation was based. This testimony bore out Stalin’s version of events. It is disgraceful that in SOAS, of all places, that this evidence provided by a black member of staff, can be dismissed as being “not credible”.

Stalin, an Ecuadorian migrant worker, has worked at the School for ten years with a previously unblemished record.

Stalin has been an outstanding UNISON Branch Chair consistently standing up for members’ rights. His work within the SOAS Living Wage Campaign was central to ensuring dignity at work for SOAS cleaning staff.

SOAS UNISON is calling on SOAS staff, students and others to continue to
return that solidarity and join the lobby of SOAS Governing Body to
call for Stalin’s reinstatement.