The Cambridge Living Wage Coalition was set up in January 2007 following a series of inquiries into the wage rates of the University of Cambridge and its constituent colleges.
Our aim is a Living Wage of £6.50 for college employees
Our Manifesto:
Given the high costs of living in the Cambridge area (the average house price being £272,4771), low wages, though meeting the National Minimum Wage, are not sufficient for meeting basic needs and thus produce hardship, particularly for individuals employed part-time. Research has consistently demonstrated the link between low pay, child poverty, social exclusion and indebtedness2. At levels below the Living Wage, work is not an effective antidote to poverty.
The University, following a recent agreement, now pays all its employees a Living Wage. Individual colleges, however, still employ significant numbers earning less than the Living Wage figure of £6.50, used in the University pay negotiations. By continuing to pay poverty wages, the colleges are neglecting their social responsibilities as employers. The adoption of a Living Wage would be a step towards a more consistent system of college employment and entitlements.
A Living Wage can be in the business interests of the colleges. It would reduce labour turnover (which fell from 30% to 4% after Barclays Bank adopted the Living Wage) and the costs this incurs. The accumulated experience and expertise of long-serving trained staff would be an asset. The Living Wage would also increase staff motivation, with resulting gains in productivity.
The colleges' reputation depends on being regarded as institutions concerned with the betterment of society. Their image would be enhanced as Living Wage employers, an accreditation already enjoyed by Queen Mary (University of London), Barclays, HSBC, KPMG, the London 2012 Olympics, as well as numerous local authorities.
- Closing the Gap, Combating the causes of child poverty in London (February 2006)
