Edinburgh Northern and Leith MSP, Ben Macpherson has welcomed the new Scottish Living Wage rate of £8.45 an hour and encouraged more employers across Edinburgh to sign up as Accredited Living Wage Employers.
The Scottish Living Wage, calculated to meet the cost of living, is reviewed every year based on living standards. The rise of 20 pence per hour will benefit thousands of workers at Living Wage-accredited organisations across Scotland, including many in Edinburgh. Across the area, there is already an encouraging amount of accredited Living Wage Employers – including Cyrenians, Volunteer Edinburgh, Port of Leith Housing Association, Visit Scotland, YMCA Edinburgh, Edinburgh International Science Festival and The Scotch Malt Whisky Society.
Ben Macpherson is a recently accredited/an accredited Living Wage employer himself, and works with the Scottish Living Wage Accreditation Initiative to promote the Living Wage in Edinburgh Northern and Leith.
The Edinburgh Northern and Leith MSP said: “The new Living Wage of £8.45 will be a welcome pay rise for thousands of workers across Scotland and in Edinburgh Northern and Leith, ensuring that people’s basic wage continues to meet the real costs of living.
“I would encourage all businesses in Edinburgh to consider becoming Scottish Living Wage employers. For business, paying the Living Wage makes sense and benefits us all – it’s an investment in people and all the evidence shows it leads to increased productivity and reduced staff absence and turnover, while sending a strong signal to customers about fairness.
“With millions of workers worse off as a result of the UK Government’s welfare cuts, and low pay one of the main drivers of in-work poverty, employers can make a real difference by choosing to pay the real Living Wage.
“I encourage all businesses in my constituency to recognise the benefits of paying the real Living Wage.”
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