Cancer research bosses forced to concede—but the fight’s not over

The strikers decided to all go into the negotiation meeting together

More than 40 striking workers at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) went into negotiations en masse on Friday.

The Unite union members began striking over pay in early June—and went on indefinite strike last month. They are determined to reach a deal that doesn’t leave behind the lowest paid workers.

The ICR is a charity. Yet there is a vast disparity between the wages of those at the top and the lowest-paid.

In 2020, 36 of the top earners raked in £4.6 million between them. Five years later, there were 71 people in this category. Their collective earnings have more than doubled, to £10.1 million.

But things have been very different for the workers who keep the place running. Many of the lowest-paid are forced to work second jobs and are chronically eating into their overdraft.

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Mahmood, who works in the ICR storeroom, told Socialist Worker, “I worked here for ten years and I’m on the same pay band as when I joined. There is no chance of progression.

“The cost of living means every time you go to the supermarket things have gone up. Everything is more expensive, but not our pay.”

Mahmood said that during the strikes, bosses sent workers who didn’t have any experience to run the stores.

“They messed up everything. When we go back we will have to sort out all the errors. Management should realise that this will damage the institution,” he said.

But, Mahmood added, “The spirits of the strikers are still high and there is a lot of support from the union.”

Jose, who works in facility services, explained that he had made the decision to join the union after the strike started. Bosses tried to pressure those still inside to take on more work.

“I decided to go outside and join my colleagues. It’s important for everybody to be here on the picket line. We need to be united,” he told Socialist Worker.

Unite members tried to negotiate a deal with bosses that would uplift the pay of those on the lowest pay bands. The strikers say they want a resolution. But the bosses have been avoiding them and dragging things out. They are hoping they can outlast the strikers.

When the bosses came back with an offer they had been working on a completely different model to what was discussed with strikers last week. It doesn’t address the low pay and even adds a new entry level pay point below the current minimum.

“I’m so angry, how dare they?” said striker Heather at the rally on Friday. “I am so tired of them but so proud of us. We strike together, we are united.”

The strikers marched through Kensington in west London to chants of “No offer, no respect. Guess the strike’s not over yet.”

When they got to the ICR building, they discussed what to do. The strikers decided to all go into the negotiation meeting together rather than just sending four people to negotiate on their behalf.

They included workers from across the different departments of the scientific research institute.

The strike has started to force the bosses’ hand. But the workers will need to keep up the pressure on the picket lines to win what they are asking for—and the whole labour movement need to build solidarity for their fight.