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What did the Church of England clergy do for the first time in 2023?

The Church of England clergy made a formal pay claim for the first time in their nearly 500-year history on June 19, 2023. They demanded a 9.5% increase in their allowance from April 2024. The trade union Unite, representing over 2,000 clergy and lay officers in the Church of England, said that many clergy had to turn to charitable aid because they could not make ends meet on their current stipend, which was £26,790 ($34,300) in 2023. The union also pointed out that the Church of England had billions in the bank and could fully afford this modest increase. The Church of England said it would consider the pay claim in its annual recommendations.