Pay rise for 60,000 workers after surge in firms signing up to living wage

Lots of talk these days about living wages, [sarcasm] of course this would not work in the US of A. [end extreme sarcasm]

The surge in numbers, and the burgeoning campaign to lift the pay of the worst-off, means that about 60,000 people will be given a pay rise on Monday when a new higher living wage rate is announced. The current rate is £8.80 in London and £7.65 elsewhere.

An independent evaluation of the living wage initiative funded by Trust for London, to be published on Monday, calculates that by September 2013 the living wage campaign had generated £48m in additional wages for 23,000 low-paid workers. The huge increase in accredited companies since then means those “gains have significantly increased”. Neil Jameson, executive director of Citizens UK and one of the founders of the living wage campaign, which was launched in 2001, said: “We have a great deal to celebrate but there is still much to do. Our aim is to influence the coming general election and have 5,000 accredited living wage employers by 2020.”

source

a reply to: AlaskanDad

I will never understand why people continue to vote for politicians whose apparent goal it is to keep the wages low...

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

Oh but if wages go up there will be less jobs!

And cost of living will be raised.

No one will work anyway.

And we need austerity!

Blah, blah, blah, money taken by the rich is hoarded away in off shore banks, money earned by the rest of us is put right back into the economy.

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

As a non American I cannot understand tipping to me its corporate welfare for scumbags who are too tight to pay a basic wage,we have a minimum wage of about $16US per hour here and guess what we also have Mc Donalds,coffee shops and bars here and civilisation hasn't collapsed.

Thing is in the UK this is a voluntary measure it's not been forced.

As company's don't do things out the goodness of there heart it Shows ethical business practises at least here in the UK garners more public support of the company and is good marketing.

Guess it is proof that consumers have some power. If you want good wages don't go to the politicians who are brought puppets, vote with your money, reward good business conduct and punish bad.

Its a small example that free market can work. Naming and shaming but letting the public decide with were to spend there money. No force or regulation required.

Unlike the Scandinavian methods (which do work I agree ) this method may be more suitable with US culture as it's based on freedom of choice.