Supermarket retailer Co-op is giving 33,000 of its employees a pay rise aligned to the real living wage, in recognition of their hard work during the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.
The organisation will pay over half of its 60,000 employees the real living wage, which will ensure that they will be paid at least £9.30 per hour in the UK, and at least £10.30 in London. This is a significant increase on the national minimum wage of £8.72 which employers are legally required to pay to employees over 25 as a minimum.
Co-op has also committed to the government’s Kickstart scheme and plans to offer 150 work placements to young applicants in communities where opportunities are most needed, and will turn 50% of these placements into permanent roles.
Steve Murrells, chief executive at Co-op, said: “We are living in unprecedented times, but the response of our Co-op has been exceptional and I am immensely proud of my 60,000 colleagues who have helped to feed and care for the nation during this difficult period. We have shown how our co-operative approach to doing business provides enhanced value for our customer-members and the communities in which they live. At a time of crisis, our country needs a strong and progressive Co-op and these results evidence that we are ready to deliver even more for our key stakeholders.
“The coming months and years remain uncertain, and we know our own Co-op will not be immune to the pressures the recession brings to family budgets and to local and national economies. We will continue to invest within our core businesses to ensure that our Co-op value resonates within Co-op households and local communities.”