Inverclyde is an accredited Living Wage employer
The Living Wage Foundation, in partnership with Poverty Alliance, is pleased to announce that Inverclyde Council, has today, 9 March 2016, accredited as a Living Wage employer.
The Living Wage commitment will see everyone working at Inverclyde Council will receive a minimum hourly wage of £8.25 - significantly higher than the national minimum wage of £6.70.
The Living Wage is an hourly rate set independently and updated annually. The Living Wage is calculated according to the basic cost of living using the ‘Minimum Income Standard’ for the UK. Decisions about what to include in this standard are set by the public; it is a social consensus about what people need to make ends meet.
Councillor Stephen McCabe, Leader of Inverclyde Council, said: “Inverclyde was one of the first councils in the country to pay the living wage and it is right that we follow that commitment through by becoming an accredited living wage employer. The accreditation sends a message that Inverclyde Council is an employer which believes that our employers should receive a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. As the largest employer in our area, I hope this accreditation also sends a message to public and private sector employers across Inverclyde to join with us and supporting the living wage.”
Employers choose to pay the Living Wage on a voluntary basis. The Living Wage enjoys cross party support, in both the Scottish and Westminster parliaments.
Poverty Alliance Director, Peter Kelly said: “We are delighted to welcome Inverclyde Council to the Living Wage movement as an accredited employer.
“The best employers are voluntarily signing up to pay the Living Wage now. The Living Wage is a robust calculation that reflects the real cost of living, rewarding a hard day’s work with a fair day’s pay.
“The rise of in-work poverty in Scotland is an issue that needs to be addressed as a priority. The response requires cooperation from both private and public sector employers. The fastest way to tackle ‘in-work’ poverty is to curtail the acceptance of the minimum wage and put an onus on paying the Living Wage.”