Teaching and support staff offered insulting pay offer from UK’s top university with total income of £1.3 billion
 
Imperial College freshers are facing disruption at the start of the academic year as teaching and non-teaching staff ballot for industrial action over pay.
 
Members of Unite, along with members of other recognised unions, are angry at Imperial’s two per cent imposed pay increase. 
 
It is a real terms pay cut given that the latest RPI inflation stands at 4.4 per cent.
 
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Imperial College owes its place as the UK’s top university due to the quality of its staff. Even though the university is in an extremely healthy financial position, it is trying to get away with cutting those same workers’ wages in real terms. Unite never accepts attacks on our members’ jobs, pay or conditions – Imperial College’s workers will receive their union’s total support.”
 
Due to the ongoing cost of living crisis, Imperial College staff wages have decreased by nine per cent in real terms since 2018.
 
Imperial College’s latest financial report shows that it had a total income of £1.33 billion in 2024 up from £1.27 billion in 2023.
 
Unite members are being balloted until 15 September. The staff involved in the industrial action ballots perform a variety of roles from teaching, research and library services to maintenance, administration and student welfare.
 
Industrial action would have a severe impact on services across the university.
 
Unite national officer for education, Andy Murray, said: “Imperial College can still avoid strike action but that will require the university putting forward an offer our members can accept.”

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.