Staff at SOAS are taking strike action on 10–11 March in response to the unacceptable 1.4% pay increase imposed last year—an increase that falls far short of the rising cost of living and the value of the work staff provide every day. Members of SOAS UNISON are standing up not only for fair pay, but for dignity, respect, and sustainable working conditions across the university.

Professional services staff, cleaners, administrators, library workers, and many others keep the institution running. Yet after years of rising workloads, inflation, and real-terms pay cuts, being offered just 1.4% is simply not enough. This strike is about challenging the normalisation of declining pay and ensuring that the people who support students, research, and teaching can afford to live and work in London.

Strike action comes with financial sacrifice. Many staff will lose pay for taking a stand that benefits the wider university community. That’s why we are asking for solidarity. Donations to the strike fund will help support workers during these two days of action and ensure that they can continue to fight for fair treatment.

If you believe university workers deserve better than a 1.4% increase in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, please consider donating. Your support helps sustain the strike and shows that the community stands with SOAS UNISON staff.