We, the undersigned, petition the University of Bath to pay ALL staff a living wage and to end the culture of staff casualisation.

The living wage (currently £7.85 per hour) is calculated to reflect the cost of living in the UK. By committing to pay a living wage, the University can ensure its staff are able to support themselves and their families. Paying the living wage benefits everyone – it has been shown that it results in increased productivity and decreased absenteeism.

Although the University recently added a “pay supplement” for a relatively small group of full time, permanent staff to bring their pay to the equivalent of the living wage, no commitment was made to maintain the supplement, and the increasingly large number of casualised staff on part-time, temporary, variable and zero-hour contracts were excluded.

We believe the University of Bath has a responsibility to look after ALL its staff, be they full- or part-time, temporary or permanent. The University, as a major local employer and leading academic institution, has a chance to lead the way on ethical employment by guaranteeing the living wage for its staff and giving them stable and secure employment. We ask that you take it.

For more information, see http://www.livingwage.org.uk/home