Campaigners are calling for employers in Scotland to commit to paying the living wage in 2015.
More than 30 Scottish employers signed up to become become accredited Living Wage Employers last month, meaning that all their staff will now be at least £7.85 an hour.
There are now 94 Living Wage Employers in Scotland. Of the 32 new organisations that have joined the accreditation scheme 70% had less than 50 employees and 38% had less than 10 employees. The majority of the newly accredited organisations are private sector companies.
Peter Kelly, Director of the Poverty Alliance, who host the Scottish Living Wage Accreditation Initiative said: “We have seen a significant increase in enquiries from employers about Living Wage accreditation since Living Wage Week at the start of November, when we reported that the number of Living Wage Employers in Scotland had tripled to 60. Since then, an additional 32 Scottish employers have gone on to become accredited, including Digby Brown law firm, Heart of Midlothian football club and An Clachan Café in Glasgow.
“This is great news, especially for those workers that get a pay rise as a result. It is clear that in-work poverty will remain a real problem for thousands of workers in Scotland in 2015, but if more employers commit to paying the living wage we can begin to make a real impact.
“We are here to help and advise employers who wish to be recognized for paying the living wage. We have been overwhelmed by the response from Scottish employers in the last few weeks and look forward to working with many more in 2015. The living wage is a key way of ensuring that more workers have a prosperous New Year.”
Graham Bell, Managing Director of Glasgow-based retailer Guitar, Guitar who also have shops in Edinburgh and Newcastle said: “Our staff are our greatest asset, and the backbone of our company. By moving onto a living wage, we are solidifying our commitment to the well-being of our employees, their families and the future of our local community. It is a move we’re very proud of.”
Newly accredited Strata Cleaning are the first cleaning firm in Scotland to become Living Wage Employers. The company’s Director, Steven Homer, said: “We made a strategic decision at the formation of the business that it would stand out from the majority of cleaning companies by committing to our staff to adopt the Living Wage threshold for all staff employed by us.
“Within the cleaning sector it is common practice for many staff to be paid at the National Minimum Wage. Our business strategy is to provide a specialist cleaning service where our product knowledge, operating skills and a high level of customer service are paramount. We believe that a part of creating this culture within our business from the very outset is to recognise that it is our staff who are the main customer facing element of our business.
“Our many years of experience teaches us that staff who feel they are correctly rewarded will be much more positive and go that extra step in meeting our customer needs. We believe that long term this will be a major business benefit rather than a cost to us.”
Graeme Thomson, a member of staff at Timber Company Group in Dumfries, is directly affected by his employers’ decision to implement the living wage. He said: “I have recently started working with DTCG and already I feel like a valued member of staff. I was recently informed that DTCG have become a living wage employer, consequently this directly affected myself, making a positive contribution to my salary.
“As expected this has been hugely beneficial. At present I am currently saving for a deposit to take my first step on the property ladder. The increase in my wage makes living month to month that little bit easier whilst saving a large portion of my monthly wage. Working for this increased and fairer wage will make a huge difference to me and many others who will now feel more valued at work and encourage working harder.
“Since joining the company I have been encouraged through continuous development to both learn through further education and hands on work experience to better myself and add to my skill set. Moving to a living wage employer is another reason why I feel privileged to have found employment with the Dumfries Timber Company Group”
Colin Cameron , Operations Director, Dumfries Timber Company said: “We firmly believe that signing up to the Living Wage will only benefit the company. By treating your staff with respect, of which paying the Living Wage is only a part, you get a more contented and motivated staff.
“Respect is always a two way thing, and is extremely beneficial to both sides. Low wages was one of the factors that led to the formation of Dumfries Timber Company. Previously, we worked for one of the large national companies and we were constantly frustrated with the wage structure they had in place. When we started Dumfries Timber Company 7 years ago, the members of staff who joined us were immediately paid more than they were before.
“By signing up to the Living Wage, there are added benefits to our Company such as low staff turnover. We believe that, if you treat your staff with respect in other areas as well as salary, there will be an increased awareness of our company.
Signing up to the Living Wage scheme, will also bring benefits when we are looking to recruit new staff.”
The 32 Living Wage Employers who have become accredited in the past month are:
• Aberdeen YMCA
• The Social Enterprise Academy
• Ypeople
• Harper Macleod LLP
• Cutting Edge Engineering Ltd
• Scotwest Credit Union Ltd
• Conveyancing Direct
• Scottish Out of School Care Network
• Gavin Watson Ltd
• Lift Control Ltd
• Digby Brown LLP
• Dumfries Timber Company Ltd
• Energy Action Scotland
• Heart of Midlothian PLC
• ITC Training Academy
• Strata Cleaning Limited
• Animac Vets Ltd
• Muehlhan Surface Protection Limited
• Third Sector Dumfries and Galloway
• Saltire Roofing and Building Ltd
• Scottish Parliament
• An Clachan Cafe
• Scottish Youth Parliament
• Crannoch Residential Child Care Resource Ltd.
• Village Vets
• GuitarGuitar
• Neil Findlay MSP
• The Spark
• Nutrend Office Furniture
• Trade Right International CIC
• teclan ltd Digital Marketing
• The Royal Bank of Scotland
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