Oxfam workers set to strike over pay as charity staff rely on food banks to survive

Exclusive: Workers at anti-poverty charity, Oxfam, are balloting for strike action as they use food banks and struggle to pay rent

Oxfam workers are voting to go on strike for the first time as some staff say they are forced to use food banks due to low pay.

The charity has been accused of “hypocrisy”, as many employees say they are struggling with the cost of living crisis despite working for a company with a mission to “end poverty”.

A recent survey of nearly 150 Oxfam workers found 8 per cent had used food banks, 29 per cent anticipated that they would have to, 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.

In contrast, Oxfam’s total income for 2022 was £373m, 86 per cent of the pre-pandemic level of £434m, the union Unite says.

One Oxfam worker who has been with the company for over a decade said: “We believe so much in Oxfam. We put our heart and soul into it, we believe in the work that we do at great personal cost to all of us.

“This year, in particular, has been really tough, people have had to leave because they just can’t afford to be here anymore. They don’t want to leave, but they have no other choice.

“I’m not even one of the lowest paid workers, but I’ve had to sit in my living room without my heating on. I could see my breath.

“It’s not just a headline, these are real people who can’t afford to eat. These are my colleagues, and some of the stories are harrowing. One of the biggest things people feel is that it’s hypocrisy. We want a leadership that walks the talk and are committed to our values.”

The Oxfam survey also reveals that 4 per cent of the 150 staff respondents had been made homeless while at the charity, while a significant majority, 76 per cent, had had to “put off buying essential items until their next pay date”.

Workers have rejected a pay increase of £1,750 per year but average wages have fallen by 21 per cent since 2018 by real terms, according to Unite.

The cost of living crisis has led to an unprecedented rise in food bank use (Reuters)

If strike action goes ahead, it will be the first time in the charity’s 81-year history. Oxfam describes itself as “part of a global movement of millions of people working together to end poverty”.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Oxfam’s hypocrisy is astounding. This is a charity in robust financial health that makes much of belonging to the Ethical Trading Initiative and bestowing the virtues of unions to lift workers out of poverty.

“Meanwhile, Oxfam’s own staff are on poverty pay, with some using foodbanks and unable to pay their rent. How can its leadership possibly justify ignoring its workers’ demands to be paid fairly and blocking their union?

“Oxfam can well afford to pay a reasonable rise without the slightest impact on its operations here or abroad.”

An Oxfam GB spokesperson said: “As a real living wage employer and an organisation committed to tackling poverty, Oxfam is acutely aware of the impact of the rising cost of living on colleagues and addressing that is a priority for us.

“That is why we chose to bring forward pay increases for lower-paid colleagues and why we have ensured that these colleagues will have received a real terms pay increase over the past 12 months.

“We believe this pay award is fair and it is at the limit of what Oxfam can afford without taking vital resources away from our work fighting poverty with communities around the world. Colleagues understand that we face limited resources and tough choices and we hope they will recognise that when casting their ballot.

“We value the work of our trade unions and would much rather have reached agreement with Unite but what they are asking for is simply not affordable at a time when many of the communities we work with are also facing sharply rising costs.”