Scottish charity Arts & Business Scotland has been officially accredited as a Living Wage employer by the Living Wage Foundation and Scottish accreditation body, the Poverty Alliance, joining organisations in Scotland who have committed to paying their staff at least the Living Wage rate of £8.45 an hour. Continue reading Arts & Business Scotland becomes Living Wage employer
Gorgie City Farm has become the 800th Scottish-based Living Wage accredited employer. Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work Keith Brown made the announcement while visiting the farm where he met staff benefitting from their commitment to fair work principles. Continue reading Gorgie City Farm is 800th Living Wage employer
Fifteen Scottish firms are among more than 350 UK companies to have been “named and shamed” by the UK government as national minimum and living wage offenders yesterday. Andthat lenghty list could have been even longer – HMRC is currently investigating more than 1,500 open cases. Continue reading Mininimum wage abuse employers named and shamed
Scottish Canals has become the 700th Scottish-based Living Wage accredited employer. Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work Keith Brown made the announcement while visiting Scottish Canals at the Falkirk Wheel where he met staff benefitting from their commitment to fair work principles.
Continue reading Scottish Canals is Scotland’s 700th Living Wage employer
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.”
The First Minister has welcomed the new Living Wage rate of £8.45 an hour and urged more Scottish organisations to sign up as Accredited Living Wage Employers. The rise of 20 pence will benefit thousands of employees at Living Wage-accredited organisations in Scotland. Continue reading Living Wage set at £8.45
The City of Edinburgh Council introduced the Living Wage for its employees in 2013 and has now gained accreditation through the Scottish Living Wage Accreditation Initiative. Continue reading Living Wage accreditation for city council
New research from the independent Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) highlights the impact the prohibitive cost of childcare has on parents’ ability to make ends meet and care for their children – even taking into account the rise in the National ‘Living Wage’.
Continue reading Childcare costs: Rowntree Foundation calls for radical overhaul
‘Poverty cannot be acceptable, at all’ – Councillor Frank Ross
The City of Edinburgh Council’s Economy Convener, Councillor Frank Ross, makes the case for a Living Wage: Continue reading Cllr Frank Ross: Living Wage key to to tackling poverty
Banks urged to insist their contractors pay a living wage
GMB Scotland is to hold a protest demonstration outside Royal Bank of Scotland HQ in St Andrew Square on Tuesday to step up the campaign for them to pay a living wage to members employed by G4S and ISS to provide security and cleaning at RBS buildings across Britain. Continue reading High noon: Union plans Tuesday protest at RBS
