A SECURITY guard at a London biomedical centre is seeking a “groundbreaking” injunction on Tuesday to prevent his “unlawful” sacking, the United Voices of the World (UVW) has revealed. 

Cetin Avsar has taken his employer Wilson James, a security contractor for the Francis Crick Institute, to court in a case described by his union as an “unprecedented legal showdown” over the lifting of his suspension. 

Wilson James suspended and threatened to dismiss Mr Avsar earlier this month for his belief that outsourcing is discriminatory, and for his having led a strike against outsourcing at his former job at St George’s, University of London, according to the union.

UVW have requested that Wilson James cease all proceedings against Mr Avsar on the grounds that they, and any subsequent dismissal, would violate Mr Avsar’s human rights.

Mr Avsar said: “No-one should be treated like this. I’m not going to stand being treated in this way. I want justice – not just for me, but for all workers. 

“Companies like Wilson James shouldn’t be able to walk over working-class people like me without consequences. I just want them to realise that what they’re doing is not acceptable at all. 

“Throughout my entire career, I’ve never experienced anything like this; it has caused me so much stress.”

Speaking on the significance of the case, UVW co-founder and lead organiser Petros Elia said: “This is one of the most brazen and egregious breaches of a worker’s rights I’ve come across. Union-busting employers will usually do so on a pretext. 

“Wilson James is doing it openly. If our laws can’t stop employers from openly trampling on the human rights of workers in the UK then our legal regime is not fit for purpose and our so-called rights are nothing more than aspirations.”

While injunctions preventing dismissals are usually only granted to “high-end” earners, Mr Elia said “it’s about time” one was granted to a low-paid worker, who are most affected by loss of earnings.

The Francis Crick Institute would not comment on the case as Mr Avsar is employed by Wilson James, who did not respond to the Star’s request for comment. 

“Wilson James is aware of the claims made by UVW,” a spokesperson for the company told the Star. “But as the situation concerning Mr Avsar remains under review it would not be appropriate to provide further comment at this time.”