What are the benefits for employees?
The introduction of the living wage increased the basic salary of the lowest paid Council workers by up to £1100 a year. As well as the clear financial benefits for employees, research has shown that the introduction of a living wage in other parts of the UK has provided employees with more job satisfaction and encouraged them to remain with their employer.
One of the key priorities for Glasgow City Council is tackling in-work poverty in the city. Recent research has indicated that the majority of children living in poverty in the UK live in a household where at least one parent works. It is therefore clear that governments at all levels need to work to tackle in-work poverty.
Our approach in Glasgow has been to tackle in-work poverty in three ways.
Firstly, by providing people with the skills to sustain a long term career through our modern apprenticeship scheme.
Secondly, the Council has pledged to provide everyone in the city with affordable childcare withing buggy-pushing distance of their home.
And thirdly by ensuring that work pays through the Living Wage.