50 signatures reached
To: Durham University and Vice-Chancellor Stuart Corbridge
Mitie Must Fall
Cease working with human rights-neglecting company Mitie Group PLC
Why is this important?
MITIE Group PLC is the UK's single largest provider of immigration detention centers. Inspections have severely criticised these facilities for detaining people for 'unreasonably long' periods (even when medical and mental health professionals have recommended their release) in 'desolate' and insanitary conditions. Other exploitative practices include the use of inmates to perform essential maintenance work, with payment of only £1 an hour, while incidents of serious self-harm quadrupled in 2 years at one immigration detention centers operated by MITIE.
Durham University has a long and proud record of respect for human rights and social justice, a record that is being tarnished by our association with immoral companies like MITIE. Working with these firms is an embarrassment to the student body and the university as a whole, this is why we are calling VC Stuart Corbridge's administration to cease all relations with MITIE (firstly by not renewing their current £5 million contract, due for renewal this year) and to look into updating the University's procurement policy to include more human rights requirements.
