A large number of staff at a major cancer research charity have extended their strike action indefinitely after rejecting the charity’s previous pay offer.
Hundreds of staff at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) – a higher education institution and exempt charity – began their strike action over a pay dispute.
Unite the Union, which represents the striking workers, said that the institute’s previous pay offer of 3.75% left many of the staff earning “barely more than the London Living Wage”.
Strike started in June
The strike began with eight days of walkouts in June, before being extended twice, with industrial action continuing into this month.
The union said staff escalated their dispute after management “failed to make a reasonable offer, despite the severe impact of strike action on lab research, student training and clinical trials”.
Unite added that anger among the workforce was “at an all-time high”, alleging that “illegal, untrained, strike-breaking agency staff” had been brought in to “try and undermine the legitimate concerns of staff”.
Will Searby, Unite regional officer, said: “We have warned ICR management against trying to undermine our members by illegally using agency staff to cover for striking workers.
“The employer’s actions are simply creating further anger and potentially putting people and equipment at risk through unsafe handling.
“The ICR needs to come back to the table with an improved offer and begin to repair the damage it is doing to staff relations.”
ICR entered into negotiations with staff
In response, an ICR spokesperson said that the institute had been involved in multiple meetings and negotiations with the striking staff.
The spokesperson said that the offer on the table for eligible staff had since been increased to a “substantially enhanced package”, with a pay rise of 8% for 2026, adding that the institute was “disappointed” that members had voted to reject the latest offer and extend industrial action.
The institute also denied bringing in agency workers to provide services as a result of the industrial action, instead saying that it continues to use contractors in certain areas of its operations.
The spokesperson added that the charity remains “committed to constructive and reasonable dialogue”, saying: “Our priority is to reward colleagues fairly, in a way that ensures we can continue delivering life-saving cancer research sustainably in the long-term.
“As an independent, not-for-profit institute, we must strike a careful balance between these responsibilities.
“We are taking all necessary and appropriate steps to minimise the disruption caused by the decision to continue industrial action.”
