By Desmond Davies
London, Dec. 12, GNA – More than 500 workers at Oxfam, the UK charity that fights against poverty in the developing world, have suspended their strike for better pay after they were made an improved offer by management.
The strike, which began on Friday and also took place on Saturday, was the first in the charity’s 81-year history.
It was planned for 17 days in December over average wages at Oxfam that the Unite trade union said had fallen by 21 per cent in real terms since 2018.
However, on Monday, Unite announced that the strikes planned for December 14, 15, 16 and 17 would be suspended while it balloted low paid Oxfam staff who work across the charity’s shops, offices and Oxford headquarters.
The union said that if the pay offer was rejected the strike would begin again on December 20 and continue until December 31.
“Following talks on Friday, an improved offer was made and therefore Unite has suspended action to allow its members to be balloted on the proposed deal,” said a statement from the union, which is Britain and Ireland’s largest trade union with members working across all sectors of the economy.
Before the strike, Oxfam workers said that while their pay had not improved, the charity was publicly condemning real-terms pay cuts by other UK employers.
In contrast, Oxfam’s last reported cash reserves stood at £44.6 million in 2022.
This is the highest they have been in at least five years and at the very top of the acceptable range the charity has for reserves, which is between £35 million and £45 million, according to Unite.
The workers then voted by 83 per cent in favour of a strike in a ballot with an 82 per cent turnout.
The vote came after they rejected a pay offer of £1,750 or six per cent, whichever is higher, plus a one-off taxed payment of £1,000 for the lowest earners.
Unite said that the charity “has repeatedly refused to enter fresh negotiations”.
The General Secretary of Unite, Sharon Graham, said: “Oxfam wants to end poverty and says it is on the side of unions.
“Yet its own workers report having to use foodbanks, it refuses to engage with the only union representing its workforce…
“This is rank hypocrisy from an organisation that should know better.”
She added: “Oxfam is an extremely wealthy organisation and can afford to put forward an acceptable offer without impacting its charity work in the slightest.
“Its workers have their union’s total and unflinching support as they strike to make sure that happens.”
Oxfams total income for 2022 was £373 million, while its expenditure was £329m. Meanwhile, a recent survey of Oxfam workers found that in the last year eight per cent had used foodbanks that give out free food, 22 per cent had not been able to pay their rent and 34 per cent have had to choose between heating their homes and feeding their families.
The Regional Coordinating Officer of Unite, Jamie Major, said: “Like many other employers in the charity sector, Oxfam exploits its workers’ commitment to its aims by not paying them properly.
“Our members are striking as a last resort and Unite’s door remains open for talks at any time to resolve this dispute.”
Before the strike, an Oxfam spokesperson said the charity was doing what it could to reduce financial pressures on its staff “within the limits of the resources we have available”.
Oxfam said that its reserves had dropped since 2022, and were “currently at the lower end of what is necessary to allow Oxfam to weather future financial shocks”.
The charity said that it expected this financial situation to go on for the next few years.
GNA