Church of England clergy and lay officers formally demanded a pay raise for the first time in their history on Monday.
The vicars cited hellish cost-of-living increases throughout the U.K. in asking for the salary bump, Reuters reported. They also noted that the church had plenty of money to spare.
“The Church of England has billions in the bank and can fully afford to pay its clergy the modest increase in their stipend they are seeking,” said Sharon Graham, general secretary of the trade union representing the church employees. She was referencing the church’s $13 billion investment fund.
Church employees have asked for pay raises previously in the organization’s nearly 500-year history, but they’ve previously relied on the generosity of leadership instead of lodging a formal complaint.
Clergy and lay staff receive an annual stipend of £26,794, according to the Guardian. They are asking for a 9.5% raise to keep up with cost-of-living increases.
“Like all workers, Church of England clergy are struggling with the cost of living crisis,” Graham said. “While many will argue their work is a vocation, the simple truth is that on their current rewards they are among the working poor.”
Church of England leaders said they were aware of the crisis but did not immediately promise any solutions, Reuters reported.
“We are mindful of this, and of issues of affordability for dioceses, in the deliberations over the annual recommendations for the minimum and benchmark stipend levels,” a spokesperson told the outlet.
Clergy and lay officers asked for the increase to begin in April 2024. A church meeting about pay is scheduled for September.