Ards and North Down Borough Council in Northern Ireland (NI) has become an accredited living wage employer as part of its commitment to ensure its workforce receives fair pay for a day’s work.
As a result, every employee will earn the real living wage, along with any regularly contracted workers.
The voluntary real living wage is higher than the government’s minimum and national living wage, at £12.60 in the UK, and £13.85 for London. It is an independently calculated hourly rate of pay based on the actual cost of living, decided each year by the Living Wage Foundation.
Councillor Alistair Cathcart, Mayor of Ards and North Down, said: “We are very proud to be accredited as a living wage employer and to play our part in ensuring that workers earn enough to participate fully in family and community life. As a key employer in Ards and North Down, we hope our accreditation encourages other local businesses, and organisations which don’t yet do so, to consider offering a real living wage.”
Councillor Barry McKee added: “I don’t believe that workers employed by councils or workers that provide council services should be paid a wage that is below one that gives a decent standard of living as a minimum. This accreditation will keep wages fair, year in year out, and is a real win for those on the lowest pay.”
Mary McManus, regional manager at Living Wage NI, said: “At one in five, NI has the highest rate of jobs paid below the living wage in the UK. When a local council shows leadership by becoming a living wage employer, not only does it provide a wage increase to their direct employees, it also provides a much-needed wage increase to low-paid workers in their supply chain and encourages other local employers to sign up. More businesses are realising that not only is real living wage accreditation good for workers, it is also an investment in their business improving their recruitment and retention.”
