STAFF and students will stage a protest calling on their university to pay the Living Wage tomorrow (Wednesday, February 26).
The union Unison and student campaigners are joining forces to lobby Durham University to pay at least £7.65 an hour.
Figures obtained by Unison show the university paid 597 staff – about eight per cent of its workforce – below that rate, despite having a £4.5m underspend on its staffing budget.
Further, the union claims vice-chancellor Professor Chris Higgins receives a pay package worth £290,000.
Clare Williams, Unison’s regional convenor, said: “The university has ran out of excuses for not paying hard working staff the Living Wage, yet here we are again having to protest.”
Durham University says it strives to maintain a good reward package for all its staff, who enjoy other benefits including a secure final salary pension scheme.
The protest will take place opposite The New Inn, off South Road, Durham, tomorrow from 8am to 9.30am.
Earlier this month, Teesside University agreed to pay the Living Wage, benefitting 162 staff.
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