Institute of Cancer Research Staff Extend Historic Strike Over Pay, Warn of 'Existential Crisis'

Staff at the Institute of Cancer Research查看公司主页 (ICR) in London have extended their historic strike action over pay, with union representatives warning the institute is facing an "existential crisis" as researchers report being unable to cover basic living expenses. The industrial action, which began on June 3, marks the first strike in the ICR's 117-year history and has now been extended twice, with walkouts scheduled to continue through August 7.

The ICR, which operates as a public research university and a college of the University of London, together with its close partner The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust forms the largest comprehensive cancer centre in Europe. The institute has been behind major scientific breakthroughs, including the development of abiraterone查看药品详情, the first treatment for advanced prostate cancer (搜索)搜索该疾病 available on the NHS since 2012, and PARP inhibitors. Its work is credited with driving the discovery of more new cancer drug candidates than any other academic centre in the world.

Pay negotiations described as 'hostile'

Unite the Union representatives claim pay negotiations have been "hostile," alleging intentional meeting delays by management and stating that the four offers received were repurposed iterations of the first offer. The union is calling for the incremental pay model to be reinstated to ensure staff are compensated each year based on their experience and the rising cost of living.

Aiden Doyle, 37, a higher scientific officer at the ICR's Children's Brain Tumour Centre of Excellence, told the Press Association: "All the meetings have been very hostile. We've been on strike for six weeks now. This is an existential crisis. There's no respect."

Doyle added that without a recent promotion, he would have had to sell his flat and start renting again. "My wife and I don't live lavish lives. We keep our outgoings low, so that we can do things like cancer research. But it does come a snapping point, and we've hit that definitely."

Staff report financial hardship

A survey of approximately 300 workers taking part in the industrial action, released by Unite, found that 79% are now worse off than they were 12 months ago due to the cost-of-living crisis. Nearly a quarter have either fallen behind on bills or face a constant struggle to meet payments, and around half reported turning down heating in winter, skipping meals, or borrowing money to make ends meet.

One anonymous drug discovery scientist at the ICR said that after nearly four years at the institute they are "getting poorer," adding: "I am struggling to pay my bills and meet my rent. It's not sustainable for me."

Another cancer researcher who has worked at the ICR for nearly seven years said: "I didn't get into the job because I wanted to make a fortune. I have no illusions that people get into science to get rich. I just assumed that every year that they put up my pay the same as what inflation was and it's the fact that I'm actually getting poorer and poorer."

Teige Matthews-Palmer, 35, an electron microscopist at the ICR and union representative, said: "People being recruited were coming in on last year or the previous year's pay, and by doing that, people have lost out 16% against inflation. So people's incomes are worth 16% less now." He added that it is "very common to work more than 50 hours per week as a research scientist" and that "working overtime is expected and normal."

Workforce retention concerns

Most concerning for the institute, more than 60% of striking staff are looking to leave their roles as soon as possible due to their working environment. One staff member commented: "I skip meals at work as I can't afford to buy things on site. I have, for all the years I have worked here, worked more than my contracted hours and never been paid overtime. Year after year, I am expected to deliver more, it's just not sustainable. I am actively looking for another job."

Ciaran O'Neill, 63, who has worked at the ICR for more than 40 years as a researcher and health and safety advisor, said: "I don't want to be on strike. A lot of us here, we work well beyond our paid hours, and the institute gains from that input because people are writing their scientific papers at home at the weekends in their own time. They're working in the labs at weekends to get things done, unpaid because of their commitment to the institute, and the institute is not showing that commitment back."

ICR response

A spokesperson for the ICR said: "We respect the union's mandate for further industrial action and recognise that this reflects strongly held concerns among members, particularly in relation to pay. The ICR has taken negotiations with the union over the current pay dispute very seriously and approached them in a constructive manner. So far, they have failed to reach a resolution."

The institute stated it has made an improved pay offer for 2026 and 2027 that targets support at lower-paid staff and includes backdated pay adjustments for 2025. "Our offer is above inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index. For staff who were part of the August 2025 salary review, this would equate to at least a 12.5% salary increase over the three-year period."

The ICR added that its pay was "broadly competitive" with other research organisations and noted it is currently "operating in a challenging external environment, including funding constraints and rising costs." The spokesperson said: "We remain fully committed to constructive, ongoing negotiations."

The union, however, claims the ICR is operating a "low pay culture" while sitting on large cash reserves of more than £500 million (around $670 million), with £37 million that remains unallocated, and paying "whopping six-figure salaries" to managers, including more than £400,000 for chief executive Prof Kristian Helin. The strikers claim the industrial action has disrupted lab work and led to some research being placed on hold.