MAKING LIVING WAGE THE NORM
Advocates for the real living wage will gather in Edinburgh today as the City Chambers hosts Scotland’s first Living Wage Places Network event.
Over 70 delegates from 16 UK towns, boroughs and cities will join the City of Edinburgh Council to call for employers to offer “a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work”.
Together, they hope to work towards making the Living Wage the norm in each of their local areas as part of the inaugural conference organised by the Living Wage Foundation and Living Wage Scotland.
Edinburgh’s selection as host city follows the Scottish Capital’s recognition as a Living Wage City in 2020. Over 630 Edinburgh-based employers have signed up to pay the living wage, building on a commitment made by the city to continue to boost the number of businesses which become accredited.
Councillor Jane Meagher, Edinburgh’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Convener, is Co-Chair of the Edinburgh Living Wage Action Group and will open the event. She said: “We’ve had a record-breaking couple of years in Edinburgh for Living Wage sign ups and it feels like we’re witnessing a real movement.
“Edinburgh-based businesses want to help tackle low pay and insecure work, but we know that employers are under increasing pressure too. They are facing recruitment challenges and high energy bills.
“With the cost of living crisis serving as a stark reminder of what life on low pay means for workers, tackling in-work poverty together has never been more vital. We must work together to break down barriers and champion the true value of people’s jobs. Everyone deserves a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.
“Hosting Living Wage Places in Edinburgh is our opportunity to showcase how far we’ve come, learn from each other and work towards a future where the Living Wage is the norm. Thank you to everybody who is coming to join us.”
Kat Brogan, Managing Director of Mercat Tours and Co-Chair of the Edinburgh Living Wage Action Group said: “The Real Living Wage is a crucial element of ‘Real Living’ – a happy, healthy, fulfilling life.
“Our Action Group serves our LW aims in 3 ways. We celebrate LW employers who pay RLW and choose to go beyond, supporting Real Living more broadly in creative and practical ways that has real impact on their teams’ lives.
“Where employers want to reach this goal, we’ll provide advice and guide them to becoming LW employers. This will benefit their team, their business and Edinburgh as a thriving city which offers a quality experience for all.
“As members of the LW community, employers’ views are presented to local and national Government by the Action Group, a powerful advocate on behalf of LW businesses.”
Clare Goff, Senior Project Manager, Living Wage Places for the Living Wage Foundation, said: “We’re delighted to hold our inaugural Living Wage Places Network event in Edinburgh.
“Scotland is the birthplace of the Living Wage Places movement, with Dundee the first city to receive recognition in 2019. Since then, the Living Wage Foundation has recognised a further 15 cities, boroughs and city-regions for Making Living Wage Places.
“The Living Wage Places movement brings together the public sector, businesses and civil society to tackle in-work poverty and make the real Living Wage the norm in their place. This event will bring our network together for the first time to share learning and expand our impact.”
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