Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) workers will protest outside of the architectural firm’s City of London offices tomorrow over ‘disgusting’ redundancy plans, Unite, the UK’s leading union said today.

The redundancy plans were hatched after BIG lured workers, many from overseas, into joining the company to work on a new contract in Saudi Arabia that has since fallen through.

When: 13:00 Tuesday 3 February 2026
Where: Bjarke Ingels Groups, 1 Finsbury Avenue, EC2M 2PF

BIG announced that around 140 jobs are at risk in December and began redundancy proceedings. It had to start the process again in January, however, due to basic procedural failings.

The company is trying to force through mass redundancies on minimal and vindictive terms and is refusing to take part in meaningful consultations or meet with Unite. In addition, it is trying to intimidate workers into not engaging with their union – even though Unite represents over 80 workers at the site. Unite believes BIG’s action are breaking employment law.

Unite reps put forward a workable solution to the company after surveying members and finding that enough would take voluntary redundancy if severance pay was set at a more reasonable level. In response, the company withdrew the option for voluntary redundancy entirely and slashed redundancy pay to just 1.5 months.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “BIG’s behaviour towards its staff is nothing sort of disgusting. It is trying to rip workers off to protect profits after luring many of them from overseas with promises of secure work.

“The redundancy process has been marred by critical failures to follow basic employment procedures and attempts at union-busting that are trashing BIG’s reputation. Unite will publicly hold BIG to account until these workers receive fair and decent treatment.”

The solution proposed by Unite’s reps to settle the redundancies fairly is just a fraction of the £7.5 million the hugely profitable Danish architectural firm paid to shareholders last year.

A BIG worker said: “We've been told ‘we're all victims of the same circumstances' but partners and associates had their pay protected and also refused to take any cuts, while a third of us face redundancy. Management won't provide proper figures, hold meetings during lunch breaks, and rushed the original process so badly they had to restart in January. They're not consulting, they're forcing this through."

Another Big worker said: “Employees lives and their financial situation are being dismissed by management. The office mass hired during the last year presenting themselves as a stable business, but in reality, there was no risk plan in place. People moved from their countries with their families, with the financial strain that this implies, and a few months after find themselves with no alternatives.”

ENDS

For media enquires ONLY contact senior Unite communications officer Ryan Fletcher on 07849 090215 or 020 3371 2065.

Email: ryan.fletcher@unitetheunion.org

Unite is Britain and Ireland’s largest union with members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Sharon Graham.