College supervisors at University of Cambridge accept 15% pay rise

College supervisors employed by the University of Cambridge have won an average pay rise worth 15%.

The workers, who are represented by the Cambridge branch of the University and College Union (UCU), lead undergraduate tutorials or supervisions with students.

They will receive new rates that have been introduced on the university’s salary spine and include multipliers to account for the number of students being supervised. From October, this will result in an average pay rise worth 15%, with some supervisors due to receive an increase of more than 20%. The agreement also commits to addressing supervisors’ hourly paid contracts by the end of 2024.

Last year, Cambridge UCU won union recognition by the university and pay for mandatory supervisor departmental training as a result of its Justice for College Supervisors campaign. It requested paid supervisor training, pay that reflects the full number of hours spent on preparation, and to be moved from hourly paid contracts.

A University of Cambridge spokesperson said: “Cambridge Colleges are pleased to have reached an understanding with Justice for College Supervisors campaigners on the methodology underpinning the payment rate for supervisions. The new methodology represents part of a longer-term review of payment rates for undergraduate supervisions which began in 2021-22. Since then, supervisor pay rates have risen faster than nationally-agreed university pay and the new rates mean that since 2021-22, rates will have increased by an average of 30.9%.”

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A Justice for College Supervisors spokesperson said: “Although it does not fully account for the preparation time required for supervisions, it is a step closer towards the fair remuneration of supervisors for the work that they do, and a much-needed boost in pay. Our aim remains to achieve fair and secure payment and employment for all supervisors.”

Jo Grady, general secretary at UCU, said: “These workers are the cornerstone of the University of Cambridge’s undergraduate teaching system, and due to our work, they are getting wages that reflect their invaluable contributions. We look forward to continuing to work with Cambridge’s colleges so that supervisors finally get the fair terms and conditions they deserve.”