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But now Simon Harris is dragging his heels again and not following through. Colleges have yet to commit to raising their stipends – and with PhD researchers starting new
Think outside the book…
atest press release from Uplift, issued on Friday, August 25th 
2023…
atest press release from 
2023…Wherever we work, we should be treated with dignity and respect. That includes being paid enough to put a roof over our heads, put food on the table, and live.
But right now, PhD researchers all over Ireland are being denied basic rights – like sick leave and even the minimum wage.
Just last year, Uplift members leapt into action, and over 4,000 of us told Simon Harris to raise PhD stipends to match the cost of living. In June, his department released a report saying that all PhD stipends should be raised to the living wage.
But now Simon Harris is dragging his heels again and not following through. Colleges have yet to commit to raising their stipends – and with PhD researchers starting new 
contracts in September, they are worrying about how they can afford rising rent costs, high electricity bills, and increased bills at the shopping tills.
contracts in September, they are worrying about how they can afford rising rent costs, high electricity bills, and increased bills at the shopping tills. Uplift members, the Postgraduate Workers Organisation (PWO), have started a petition to Simon Harris and the colleges to raise the PhD stipend to the living wage.
If we row in behind the PWO’s petition, we can show Simon Harris that we haven’t forgotten about PhD researchers, and he’ll be forced to start implementing his own Department’s report and raise PhD stipends to the Living Wage.
You can sign the Postgraduate Workers Organisation petition for a PhD living wage here.