Imperial’s insulting offer

Staff at Imperial College have taken their campaign over poor pay to the streets as they started a series of ten strike days this week. 

On Tuesday picket lines appeared at university campuses to tie in with the first week of teaching, whilst today (8 October) staff gathered outside the main campus entrance and the Royal Albert Hall to leaflet students and families attending graduation ceremonies and explain why they have been driven to take strike action.

Unite members joined fellow trade unionists from Imperial Colleges Joint Trade Unions on the picket lines as part of the ongoing campaign to improve an insulting two per cent pay offer. 

The central London university is one of the top in the country, with world leading research and teaching, and has a total income of £1.3 billion. The dedication of skilled staff at the College is the reason it regularly features so highly in university league tables, but when it comes to rewarding these staff with a fair pay rise Imperial is bottom of the class.

Imperial College teaching and non-teaching staff took this week’s strike action during the autumn graduation day, which thousands of students were attending, and have ongoing strikes planned throughout the autumn if the employer doesn’t improve the offer.

The striking workers perform a variety of roles from teaching, research and library services to maintenance, administration and student welfare, and the strikes have had a severe impact on services across the university.

Around 1,200 workers took part in the strike over an imposed two per cent pay increase, which is a substantial real terms pay cut given that the latest RPI inflation stands at 4.6 per cent.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Imperial College is the UK’s top university thanks to the dedication of its staff. Despite enjoying a very strong financial position, the university is attempting to cut those same workers’ pay in real terms. 

“Unite will never stand by while our members’ jobs, wages or conditions are under threat – the union stands firmly behind Imperial College’s workforce.”

Due to the ongoing cost of living crisis, Imperial College staff wages have decreased by seven 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 have plans in place to strike throughout the autumn term if the dispute is not resolved.

The striking workers perform a variety of roles from teaching, research and library services to maintenance, administration and student welfare, and this week’s strikes have had a severe impact on services across the university.

Unite Branch Chair at Imperial College, Mike Jones said, “Following the picket around 120 staff members from the Colleges unions marched through the campus highlighting the reasons behind the strike. Students mostly understood the issues, and were broadly supportive despite the disruption.”

“Unite members at Imperial have been working together with colleagues from other staff unions, showing the strength of solidarity and unity we have built up and the joint determination to win.” 

Unite members have plans in place to strike throughout the autumn term if the dispute is not resolved.

Unite regional officer Ahlam Khamliche added: “Imperial College is entirely responsible for the disruption that will be caused to students and academics. 

“It can more than afford to put forward a fair pay rise but it is refusing to do so. This dispute will continue to escalate until Imperial puts forward an offer that is acceptable to our members.”

Unless the College returns with an improved offer further strike days are planned on October 27 and 28, and on six days throughout November.

By Keith Hatch

Photos By Mark Thomas