A London university has been accused of “union-busting” following the suspension of one of its staff.
Vik Chechi, who worked at a science education centre run by the university, was also the Unison branch secretary of Queen Mary’s University.
Chechi was suspended with a view to dismissal from his work in October on the grounds of poor attendance, poor time-keeping and for making ‘vexatious and undermining complaints’.
Student activists and union officials have claimed that Queen Mary University deliberately targeted 24 year-old Vik Chechi due to his opposition to education cuts and his active role in trade union affairs.
Supporters of Chechi claim that the university did not follow proper disciplinary procedures when dismissing the Unison secretary.
They also say that he was singled out for backing university staff at a time when academic and support jobs across campus are threatened.
A spokesperson from Queen Mary’s Unison branch said that Chechi had been sacked as part of an attempt “to decapitate the union”, so that it wouldn’t be able to continue his work.
A spokesperson from the from the university went some way to rejecting the trade union’s claims, stating that Chechi was, “Not in any way barred from his role as a representative of Unison”.
Richard Saull, UCU branch secretary, said that he was “shocked” by Chechi’s dismissal.
“We were very shocked to hear of Vik’s suspension and believe that the issues do not warrant a claim of gross misconduct. We are concerned that college procedures have not been followed and we regard an attack on one trade union as an attack on all”.
