University of Cambridge staff strike for cost of living 'weighting'

More than 500 University of Cambridge workers are striking, demanding a "Cambridge weighting" supplement to match that paid to equivalent staff at Oxford University, a union said. Library, museum, finance and IT staff are among members of Unite taking action over two days, with a further strike planned next week. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Cambridge University is exceptionally wealthy and can more than afford to provide a fair wage for its lowest-paid workers and introduce a local pay supplement as Oxford University has. A spokesperson for the University of Cambridge said it regretted the action and remained "committed to open and constructive dialogue". Unite said in a statement: "Cambridge, like Oxford, is one of the most expensive cities in the UK – with rental costs 30% above the national average – and Cambridge University can more than afford to introduce weighting." In 2024, a pensionable Oxford University weighting of £1,500 per year was introduced. Last year, Oxford increased the payment by 15% to £1,730 and extended it to all non-clinical staff, the union said. Cambridge staff received no equivalent, apart from a 2.5% interim payment, which did not addres