Living Wage at Cambridge


Public services union UNISON has welcomed the Cambridge University’s decision to become a real Living Wage employer, and has called on all universities in the UK to follow suit.


Although Cambridge already pays all directly employed university staff at or above the Living Wage, it will now seek formal Living Wage Foundation (LWF) accreditation and says that this will provide “further income security for staff and contractors”. The real Living Wage rate, set by the LWF, is current £8.75 an hour, and £10.20 in London. These rates are much higher rate than the statutory National Living Wage, which is set to rise to £7.83 in April from its current £7.50. 


UNISON head of higher education Donna Rowe-Merriman called on the Cambridge move to be replicated across all UK universities. 


“Low paid staff, often working for sub-contractors living in high cost areas in university cities are often some of the hardest hit in terms of their income,” she said. 


A recent UNISON Freedom of Information request found that 11,955 staff across the sector are paid less than the voluntary Living Wage, while 5,483 staff at UK universities are paid more than £100,000 a year.


“There is no place for low pay in higher education,” Rowe-Merriman said.


https://www.unison.org.uk/news/article/2018/02/universities-living-wage