Can Church of England clergy create problem for King Charles with wage demand?

Britain’s King Charles, who is the supreme governor of Church of England, will likely face difficulty as the clergy has made first wage demand, it is reported.

According to a report by AFP, clergy and lay officers of the church have submitted their first demand for a payrise since the church was founded in 1534.

Their union, Unite, said they want a 9.5-percent increase in the annual stipend that priests receive from next year.

The report quoted union secretary general Sharon Graham as saying “Like all workers, Church of England clergy are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.

"While many will argue their work is a vocation, the simple truth is that on their current rewards they are among the working poor.

"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.

"The clergy deliver a clear message for the Church of faith in the hereafter. Unite is fighting for a better deal for them in the here and now."

The Church of England was founded by King Henry VIII, who broke with the Roman Catholic church over its refusal to sanction divorce.

Its supreme governor remains the reigning British monarch.

Currently, King Charles is the supreme governor of the Church of England and has described himself as a ‘committed Anglican Christian.”