Ryan FowlerThe Church of England’s Leicester diocese has entered into a landmark agreement with Unite, the union, to represent its clergy and lay staff. This agreement, a first for any Church of England diocese, grants collective bargaining rights covering clergy stipends, staff pay, and terms and conditions for both groups.
Sharon Graham, Unite’s general secretary, commended the work of the Church of England Clergy & Employee Advocates (CEECA), a distinct part of Unite’s faith workers’ branch, for securing the agreement. She stated: “A huge well done to CEECA’s activists for negotiating this historic agreement. CEECA performs tireless work within the church at both a local and national level that is resulting in real benefits for both clergy and lay staff. Unite looks forward to seeing the agreement being replicated at dioceses around the country.”
This agreement comes in the wake of a seven percent increase in Church of England clergy stipends, a result of CEECA members submitting a historic pay claim earlier in the year.
Peter Hobson, a workplace representative for the Leicester diocese, expressed his satisfaction with the diocese’s pioneering recognition of the importance of an independent representative voice for its workforce. He added, “Even when you work for God, your terms and conditions are still drawn up by human beings, and we all know that a healthy church can only be helped by healthy employment practices for its staff.”
