Answers demanded to MPs’ letter to University of Birmingham over fair pay.
The Birmingham Labour Party have hit out at the University of Birmingham over a month after seven MPs wrote highlighting their concern low paid staff are struggling to survive on unfair wages.
On 21st August, the seven Birmingham MPs wrote a joint letter to vice-chancellor David Eastwood, urging the University to become a Real Living Wage employer.
To date, the letter, signed by Preet Gill, Jack Dromey, Liam Byrne, Roger Godsiff, Richard Burden, Steve McCabe, and Jess Phillips, has had no reply.
Liam Byrne MP said, “A real living wage benefits the whole of society, raising living standards from the ground up and reduces reliance on foodbanks. Those on low wages at the University of Birmingham are suffering further as they fight for what they deserve.”
The University of Birmingham is in a long dispute over support staff working conditions and pay.It has outsourced much of its staffing to companies that it is claimed pay less than the real living wage.
The industrial action is aimed to improve the pay and working conditions of support staff, such as cleaners, administrators, hospitality staff, and security.
One of the main concerns from Labour members is the way staff are treated at the University’s recently opened hotel which they say is operated by a subsidiary company, ultimately owned by the University, but run at arm’s length from it. As a result staff are outsourced, which doesn’t afford them the same rights as those directly employed onto the University’s payroll.
Outsourced staff do not have union recognition which means they cannot negotiate better terms, are on minimum wages and zero-hours contracts which don’t include statutory sick leave entitlements.
At one strike demonstration, a full-time member of university support staff told the crowds she has to work a second job to pay her rent and put food on the table for her family. She regularly goes an entire weekend without sleep to make ends meet.
David Barker, Constituency Labour Party delegate for Birmingham Selly Oak, spoke at this year’s Labour Party conference, where the University were exhibiting. He asked the West Midlands Combined Authority to make Birmingham a real living wage city, and pressure big businesses like the University.
David said, “The Labour Party itself supports a £10 an hour minimum wage – it’s on the front cover of our conference booklet. The Party could begin now to roll this out in every Labour-run council, putting pressure of big businesses like the University to follow suit. So what will the WMCA do to help?”
Cllr Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, which pays the living wage, promised that he would work with the WMCA to make the West Midlands a real living wage region, and to support the next UNISON strike day.
Thursday 3rd October will be the sixth day of industrial action in the dispute between the University of Birmingham and UNISON. This comes after a year of failed negotiations. UNISON have a simple demand that the university becomes accredited as a living wage employer and ends the gender pay gap. The rally will begin at 11am.
UNISON branch secretary Mike Moore said: “The University can afford to do more. It makes millions of pounds in surpluses. There are 109 managers at the University earning more than £100,000 a year. Vice-Chancellor David Eastwood is paid a huge salary of £444,000, on top of bonuses larger than most staff’s annual pay.”
