University of Greenwich and outsource company Sodexo deny racial discrimination claims from security officers

Security officers at a university claimed they were racially discriminated against by their employers after they did not receive hazard pay during the pandemic, despite claims their white colleagues received a £300 bonus.

The University of Greenwich, where the security officers work, and Sodexo, the company that hires them, have both strongly denied the accusations. They said any employees who worked full hours during the pandemic received the bonus and that Sodexo does not provide hazard pay to any employees.

Through their union, Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), the security officers have served a notice of dispute to Sodexo, after the claim that porters who are majority White British have received a bonus for working during the pandemic.

The outsourced officers, who are mostly BAME, say they have taken on extra responsibilities during the pandemic but have not received additional pay.

Abiodun Wilhelm, a security officer at University of Greenwich, said: “I have worked at University of Greenwich for 14 years and during the pandemic I have put my life on the line, despite my health conditions, to keep students and staff safe.

“However, the university has refused our requests to give us majority-BAME security staff hazard pay for taking on extra work and facing these extra risks. Meanwhile, other staff who are predominately white British have been given bonuses for working during the pandemic. The University must end this discrimination and treat us fairly.”

IWGB claimed Sodexo are allegedly considering complaints against a security officer, Kingsley Osadolor, after allegations a student complained about him physically preventing them from entering a university building without a mask.

Mr Osadolor said he was following the procedures that were set out to him in an extremely difficult environment and has been made to bear the blame for unclear procedures handed down by Sodexo and University management.

IWGB said after staff spoke out on social media about the allegation against Kingsley – using the hashtag #WeAreAllKingsley – Sodexo insisted all security officers sign a conduct and social media policy, which includes restrictions on their abilities to speak publicly about issues at work.

Sodexo said their social media policy is applicable to all employees.

Umar Monday Usifoh, a security officer at University of Greenwich said: “We have happily taken on extra work for the University of Greenwich during the pandemic because we know we play a vital role in keeping the university safe and secure.

“However, the threatened action against Kingsley has made all of us feel intimidated and less able to do our jobs. We are all Kingsley. Retaining Kingsley is retaining every employee who works very hard for the development of the University of Greenwich Community.”

A decision about the allegations against Mr Osadolor is expected on Tuesday.

Maritza Castillo-Calle, chair of the IWGB University of London branch, claimed: “The University of Greenwich has failed to put adequate health and safety policies in place and has relied on outsourced staff to pick up the slack during the pandemic. To refuse to give majority Black security officers bonuses for this extra work in line with those paid out to other White British staff is pure discrimination.”

Sodexo and University of Greenwich have said the claims from security officers and IWGB are false.

The vice-chancellor of the University of Greenwich, Professor Jane Harrington, said the university strongly refuted any suggestion that it had not met its health and safety requirements in full and there was a “wilful misrepresentation and misinformation circulating about our actions”.

“The health and safety of our students and all of our staff is my priority,” said the vice-chancellor.

“There is no evidence of discrimination in the way Sodexo have paid their staff or in the way they are managing allegations of a serious incident involving one of their security guards and one of our students.”

A Sodexo spokesman said: “The claims made by the IWGB are not true. We do not tolerate discrimination in any form. Employees who continued to work their full hours during the national lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic have been rewarded with a one-off bonus as a part of a company-wide recognition scheme. Sodexo does not provide hazard pay to any employees.”