Labour: Westminster City Council should adopt the London Living Wage

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Labour: Westminster City Council should adopt the London Living Wage

By Westminster Labour ⋅ June 21, 2010 ⋅ Post a comment
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Labour Councillors have called on Westminster City Council to adopt the London Living Wage for all its staff and to require all contractors to do so as well. Labour say that the Council should also spearhead a campaign to encourage private sector employers in Westminster, particularly in the hotel, tourism and retail sectors, to adopt the London Living Wage for all their low-paid staff.

Labour say that Westminster should follow the example of the Greater London Authority, started under both Ken Livingstone and continued by Boris Johnson, which pays the London Living Wage to its staff.

The London Living Wage (LLW) is a London-specific minimum wage, which takes into account the higher costs of living in London, and includes a minimum holiday entitlement and sick pay, and gives workers the right to join a Trades Union. The LLW is currently £7.60 per hour, £1.87 above the National Minimum Wage.

“The Living Wage is an absolutely essential wage for those low paid staff living and working in Westminster to be able to live with dignity, whilst providing a basic standard of living for them and their families. How can Westminster Council possibly hope to be a leading Council if it pays staff at the minimum possible and allows its contractors to do likewise.

“At a time of economic difficulties, we need to pay particular attention to the most vulnerable workers so that they do not pay the price for the mistakes of others.”

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