Daniel Zeichner MP welcomes Cambridge University’s decision to pay the Living Wage

7th February, 2018

Daniel Zeichner, MP for Cambridge, has welcomed the announcement made today by Cambridge University that they will be seeking accreditation to become a Real Living Wage employer. The university has been paying the living wage to all directly employed university staff since 2014, but not to contractors. By becoming accredited the University will extend its commitment to contractors and subcontractors.

The move came following the initiation of a ‘Grace’, signed by 228 member of the Regent House, which called for the University to seek accreditation as a Real Living Wage employer. Labour councillors, the Cambridge University Students’ Union, and the Cambridge Universities’ Labour Club have all campaigned to support the accreditation of the University for several years.

Mr Zeichner says: “This is great news for all those working for the University and for the city of Cambridge as a whole. Cambridge University is a key employer and it is a significant step forward in this high-cost City that they will now be guaranteeing all their staff, including contractors, the Real Living Wage.

Congratulations to the students, trade unions and staff that have supported this campaign and got us to this point. I think we can all be proud that with strong leadership from the City Council Cambridge has a growing list of employers becoming accredited Living Wage employers.

I hope it is not long until all colleges follow the example set by the University today and sign up to the Real Living Wage. As it stands, only two of the colleges are accredited Living Wage Employers and that is not good enough.”

At a meeting on 22 January 2018, the University of Cambridge Council supported the University seeking accreditation from the LivingWage Foundation this academic year. Full implementation of payment of the Real Living Wage could take up to three years, as contracts are renewed and renegotiated, and therefore the Council will publish a Notice providing an update on the progress of implementation in the Lent Term 2019.