Imperial College London disruption as workers strike over derisory pay offer

Over 200 Unite members walkout over 3.3% offer, which is a pay cut

More than 200 workers at London’s Imperial College will strike on 30 November over a derisory 3.3 per cent offer, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Monday). More strikes will be scheduled if the dispute is not resolved.

With the true rate of inflation, RPI, at 14.2 per cent, this is a significant real terms pay cut. Imperial Colleges’ latest financial figures shows it brought in an income of over £1 billion for 2020/21.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Imperial College can absolutely afford to put forward a proper pay rise to these workers, who are struggling with rocketing living costs in the one of the most expensive cities in the world. Unite will never fail to defend our members’ jobs, pay and conditions and our Imperial College members will receive the union’s unwavering support in their fight for a fair pay rise.”

The workers include cleaners, technicians and maintenance and security staff. The dispute also involves members of University and Colleges Union (UCU) employed at Imperial College.

Imperial College negotiates pay directly with staff, so the dispute is not part of wider higher education strike action involving the University and Colleges Employers Association.

Unite national officer for education, Andrew Murray, said: “Strike action will undoubtedly cause disruption for Imperial College’s students and research. But this dispute is entirely of the university’s own making because it has offered a significant real terms pay cut during the worst cost of living crisis for generations. Imperial College needs to table an offer our members can accept.”