LOCAL BUSINESSES URGED TO PAY LIVING WAGE

Local MSP Colin Beattie has today welcomed the announcement of an increase in the Living Wage – and urged more local businesses to mark Living Wage Week 2015 by signing up as accredited Living Wage employers.

As announced today, the Living Wage rate – calculated independently by the Living Wage Foundation in partnership with the Poverty Alliance - will increase by 40p to £8.25 per hour.

Already, 370 firms in Scotland have become accredited Living Wage employers – and Colin Beattie has highlighted the benefits to businesses as well as staff in urging more local employers to sign up.

Commenting, Colin said

“Everyone has the right to expect a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work – and so I am delighted to see today’s increase in the Living Wage, which will provide a much-needed boost to the paypackets of many hard-working people in Midlothian.

“Paying the Living Wage isn’t just good for staff, it’s also good for business, with improved productivity, better staff morale and lower absence rates – and the Scottish Government has made excellent progress in promoting fair pay, with 81 per cent of workers in Scotland now receiving at least the Living Wage.

“But there is more work to be done to ensure fair pay for those not yet receiving it – and I’m encouraging all employers in Midlothian to consider the benefits of signing up to the Living Wage for their business.  

“I myself am a Living Wage employer, and I’m pleased to see such an increase in the number of Scottish workers now being paid fairly. Providing a living wage is extremely important to the welfare of both employees and the businesses that employ them.
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“The Living Wage is good for workers, good for business and good for Scotland as a whole – and I hope that more employers in Midlothian will mark Living Wage week by becoming accredited Living Wage employers and joining the growing numbers of businesses paying their staff a fair wage.”