Universities are bastions of progress, knowledge and social change.
Yet, there is a crucial aspect of fairness and social responsibility that all too often goes overlooked: paying a real living wage. As vital civic institutions, there is a moral case for universities ensuring at least the real living wage, and it might just help with some of the challenges the higher education sector is facing along the way.
Universities rely on world-class education and ground-breaking research, but their everyday functioning depends on the often-invisible workers who prepare food in the kitchens, clean student halls, and keep campuses safe. These workers deserve a wage that allows for a decent standard of living, and right now they are at the sharp end of the cost of living crisis.
Our research shows that over half (56 per cent) of workers earning less than the real living wage used a food bank in the last 12 months and 42 per cent skip meals to make ends meet. Yet the majority of UK universities are not accredited with the Living Wage Foundation.
