Strikers say ‘everyone needs decent wages and conditions’ (Photo: Dave Gilchrist)
Do you think workers who develop world-class cancer treatments should get paid properly?
And are you fed up with your own bosses trousering six figure salaries, while you can buy less and less with your wages?
Then you should back the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) workers, who began an indefinite strike on Monday.
“We know we are not the only workers suffering, turning to foodbanks or pushed out of their homes,” Teige, a Unite union rep, told Socialist Worker.
“We are all suffering from austerity and exploitation by the rich.
“We want everyone to support our fight for pay restoration. We need you to sign our petitions, donate to our strike funds, join our rallies.
“But, more than that, we really want other workers to become union reps and fight for pay restoration too.”
Teige added, “Yes, you do have to fight fears that striking won’t work. But we will come and talk to you.
“Supporting other pay restoration fights is the best way to win—the more of us who fight, the better are our chances.
“We’re used to being told we have to accept things. If you protest for Palestine, you run the risk of being arrested for carrying a cardboard sign. Climate disaster is really hitting home and we have no real action to stop it. We have to try and take the reins and work together.
“The best thing we can do is build a fightback—why not start at work?”
The Unite union members began a series of walkouts in June—and went all‑out on Monday.
The strikers are scientists and support workers doing vital research into the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Low pay has forced the workers to strike to win the wages that will allow them to keep doing those vital jobs.
Striker Caitlin told Socialist Worker, “This is a landmark strike—it’s the first time in the 117 year history of the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) we have been on strike.
“They never thought we’d do it and we never thought we’d have to.
“We have been on strike for 10 weeks and we have just voted to go indefinite.
“We are doing this because we love our work and we deserve to be paid fairly.
“We have been forced to go on strike to force management back to the table.”
She added, “We have gone all-out because we want management to know we are not going to be starved back to work.
“We have grown this movement so widely. We started with 70 union members, now we have over 400 and people are joining the union every day.
“We need wider support from the trade union community and social justice groups.
“Donate to our strike fund, come to our rallies, support us any way you can. We are going to get the win. We are going to get the pay we deserve so we can go back to the job we love.”
Striker Rob is a molecular biologist working on developing treatments for cancer that have less side effects than current ones.
“When people hear our story and why we are fighting, they support us,” he told Socialist Worker.
“We had great support at the Marxism Festival last month and from all kinds of trade unions I didn’t know existed.
“We need to keep that up.”
Striker Aiden told Socialist Worker, “One in two people will be diagnosed with cancer. Since 2000, the ICR has been the most productive research institute.
“But the workers here have long hours, low wages and poor terms. Trainees learn that this is how things are. Our strike has the potential to spread to other research institutes, like the Cancer Research UK in Manchester.
“We have produced collection sheets. I don’t really care if people pledge £1,000 or 50p.
“To me, the collection sheets are a tool for building solidarity with our strike.”
Solidarity is a two-way street. If you raise the ICR strike with your workmates, it opens up a conversation about fighting back against your own boss.
If we’re going to win a better world, we need much more class struggle.
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