Unite members demand ‘Cambridge weighting’ supplement to match Oxford, as staff wages fall behind soaring cost of living

Strikes by nearly 600 Cambridge University workers over pay will escalate throughout May, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today.

The workers, including library, museum, estates management, finance, student services and IT staff amongst others, are demanding the introduction of ‘Cambridge weighting’. This is a pensionable local pay supplement for all staff to address the exceptionally high cost of living in the city.

The workers are also seeking a full pay review to tackle severe compression at lower grades which has resulted in a lack of fair wage progression.

Cambridge University has imposed a 1.4 per cent pay increase for 2025/2026, which is a significant real terms pay cut.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Cambridge University is sitting on billions of pounds but the workers who keep it running are struggling to keep their heads above water due to the incredibly high cost of living in the city.

“Oxford University has introduced a local pay supplement to ensure workers can afford to live; Cambridge needs to as well. Unite will not back down until that happens.”

In 2024, the University of Oxford introduced a pensionable Oxford University Weighting of £1,500 per year. In August 2025, Oxford increased the payment by 15 per cent to £1,730 and extended it to all non-clinical staff.

Cambridge staff receive no equivalent, apart from a 2.5 per cent interim payment, which does not address the cost of living for those on a low salary. This interim payment can be removed at any time, due to no firm commitments to retain it permanently.

Cambridge, like Oxford, is one of the most expensive cities in the UK – with rental costs 30 per cent above the national average – and Cambridge University can more than afford to introduce weighting.

The university had net assets of £8.26 billion at July 2025 and its endowment fund manages assets in excess of £4.5 billion and generated a net return of 9.1 per cent in 2024.

The workers previously took strike action on 21, 22 and 30 April and 1 May causing full or partial closures of the Fitzwilliam Museum, Whipple Museum, Scott Polar Museum, Zoology Museum, Haddon Library, and the Architecture and Art History Library.

Further strikes will take place on 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28 and 29 May and will cause significantly more disruption, particularly for tourists over the Whitsun half term. Finalist judging for the Fitzwilliam Museum, which is shortlisted for Museum of the Year, has been postponed due to the strikes.  

Unite regional officer Chris Hardwick said: “Cambridge University bears full responsibility for the disruption facing students and members of the public. It can clearly afford to provide Cambridge weighting and ease the intense cost of living strain affecting its staff but is refusing to do so out of sheer greed.

“This dispute will keep escalating until the university follows Oxford’s lead and introduces additional support for its dedicated and hardworking employees.”

Members of the public can sign a petition calling on Cambridge University to introduce a weighted pay supplement here.

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.