Islington Green Party member Alex Rendall took part in the united university workers strike on 31st October. Members of the Unison, UCU and Unite trade unions walked out for a day after receiving a below inflation pay offer for the fifth year in a row.
Alex said: “After taking inflation into account, since 2008 our net pay has fallen by 13%. This year we were offered an increase of 1%. For the lowest paid worker this amounts to £11.23 a month, which is not even enough to cover the recent rise in gas prices.”
He continued: “This is making it very difficult for university workers like me to live – the price of food, gas, electricity and water have all risen enormously but our pay does not reflect these price rises. Universities have over £1 billion in surpluses across the sector, but they claim to have no money to pay their staff better wages.
“My colleagues and I want fair pay for all university workers, including over 4,000 of us who are not paid the Living Wage of £7.65 an hour (£8.80 an hour in London). By contrast the university vice-chancellors award themselves £200,000-plus salaries and claim that there is no money to pay staff a decent wage.
“I am sorry that students’ education was disrupted on Thursday; it stands to reason that if staff are constantly worrying about making ends meet, they will struggle to provide a better service, and that’s ultimately what my colleagues and I are fighting for: a decent wage for a decent service.”
