UNITE members on strike at the Institute of Cancer Research in Chelsea say they are confident of winning their pay dispute.
‘We rejected the management’s last offer 3 weeks ago so we are not going anywhere,’ Unite representative Teige Matthews-Palmer told News Line.
‘We will be going to our site in Sutton tomorrow to greet members who, although not on strike but support our action, and will be walking out tomorrow.
‘They are working on important clinical trials in conjunction with the Royal Marsden Hospital.’
The strike is the first in the ICR’s 117-year history. More than 300 Unite members across scientific research, laboratory support and site management began walking out in June after rejecting a 4 per cent offer, and went all out and indefinite on 7 August.
Their claim is for pay restoration of up to 16 per cent to make good the real-terms cuts since 2019, and for the reinstatement of the increment-based pay scale management scrapped. Many earn barely above the London Living Wage of £14.80 an hour, while the institute holds reserves of around £500 million and pays its chief executive over £400,000 a year.
A Unite survey found a fifth of staff have less than £50 left at the end of the month, a further tenth are in debt every month, and nearly half are turning the heating down, skipping meals or borrowing to get by.
Heather, a scientist on the picket line, told News Line: ‘I attended a really inspiring meeting in Manchester organised by the trades council attended by workers from different struggles including RMT and Emma Runswick from the BMA resident doctors.
‘There were workers on strike at the Kimpton Hotel who have walked out for union recognition. There were strikers from four hospitals who work in the theatres who are getting less pay when they are working overtime.
‘Also Unison members on strike at AQA who mark exam papers where 10 per cent of them are having to use food banks.
‘The same thing is happening all over, I think we do need a general strike. Also there were 77 psychologists who have recently qualified and none have got a job yet. £20 million has been spent on their training!’
Chris Starling, a higher scientific officer, said support for the strike fund was growing.
‘We had a really successful benefit last Friday with a number of performers and actress Jenny Agutter came along to show her support,’ he said.
