BIG staff plan protest against planned layoffs at London offices

Employees from the London office of Danish architecture studio BIG are planning to demonstrate today in response to proposed mass layoffs at the firm.

The protests are planned outside BIG‘s Broadgate office, where up to 72 of the 160-strong workforce are said to be at risk of redundancy.

It follows the termination of a major project at the firm, which employed half of its London staff. Job cuts were first announced to staff in November.

Many employees moved countries for terminated project

The managing director of BIG’s London firm, Henriette Helstrup, confirmed to Dezeen that a key contract had fallen through, but she did not name the specific project.

However, the trade union Unite, which is supporting BIG employees, has said it was one in Saudi Arabia.

“It is correct that a major project in our London Studio has been terminated end of November last year due to circumstances beyond our control,” Helstrup told Dezeen.

“The project employed roughly half the office and we immediately informed our entire team of the project termination. Our leadership team is engaging directly with those affected in a thoughtful and constructive manner, in full accordance with UK guidelines and due process.”

BIG employees are being supported by trade union SAW

The protests are being held by BIG employees with the support of trade union Unite and its architectural branch SAW.

According to the group, the demonstration is being held to encourage BIG to meet with union officials and “enter meaningful consultation exploring all alternatives to redundancy”.

In an anonymous statement shared with Unite and seen by Dezeen, a BIG employee said many people had “moved from their countries with their families” to deliver the project and are now left with “no alternatives”.

Unite describes BIG’s behaviour towards its staff as “disgusting”

Unite’s general secretary Sharon Graham described the situation as “disgusting”.

“BIG’s behaviour towards its staff is nothing short of disgusting,” she said. “It is trying to rip workers off to protect profits after luring many of them from overseas with promises of secure work.”

According to Unite, BIG has so far refused “to take part in meaningful consultations or meet with Unite”.

It also claimed that the union’s officials had put forward a “workable solution to the company” that included offering employees voluntary redundancy with reasonable severance pay. However, it said that BIG has since withdrawn “the option for voluntary redundancy entirely”.

BIG was founded by Danish architect Bjarke Ingels in Copenhagen in 2005. Today it has studios around the world, including in New York, Barcelona and London.

It is not the only major architecture firm to come under fire in recent weeks due to employee dismissals. Snøhetta was recently accused of laying off pro-union employees at its New York office.

The main photo is of BIG’s Copenhagen office by Laurian Ghinitoiu.