Confirmed: Cambridge University assistance staff will strike for three days this month

Cambridge University assistance staff will withdraw their labour for a three day period as part of an ongoing pay row with the university.

Unite the union, representing over 450 members of support staff, will take industrial action from Tuesday 12th March to Thursday 14th March.

The strike comes amidst a dispute about pay for those employed by the university in support areas such at the University Library and Fitzwilliam Museum. According to Unite, “for 2023-2024, the pay rise of five to eight per cent was rejected by all trade unions” representing University staff.

In an effort to end the dispute, Unite has proposed a “Cambridge weighting payment,” which would be similar to London Weighting and would accommodate for the high cost of living and working in Cambridge.

(Image credit: Felix Armstrong)

The union argues that the famously wealthy university, which holds “cash and investments worth around £6 billion at July 2023,” can easily afford to implement the proposed “Cambridge Weighting” scheme.

It also points out that “the university has reported surpluses averaging £300 million per year over the last four years,” despite often downplaying its financial gain in a method called “underlying operational performance.”

This is not the first time Unite has taken pay-related industrial action this term. University support staff walked out for three days from Wednesday 31st January to Friday 2nd February, disputing their below-inflation pay rates, including an annual salary of only £23,000 for some members of staff.

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