Greater Manchester Living Wage Campaign
The prevalence of low paying work in the UK means that many working people lack the money they require to meet their basic needs and to participate fully in society. This is one the reasons why in-work poverty is so high in this country, including in Greater Manchester.
The Real Living Wage can play an important role in addressing low pay and boosting household income. The Real Living Wage is an hourly payrate set by campaigners that reflects the real cost of living in a way that the statutory minimum set by government doesn’t.
Greater Manchester Poverty Action (GMPA) runs the Greater Manchester Living Wage Campaign. This involves advocating for widespread adoption of the Real Living Wage by employers across the city region.
The Campaign’s mission has always been to make Greater Manchester a Living Wage City Region. In 2021, that became Greater Manchester’s mission. GMPA is helping to make this a reality. There were just 26 Real Living Wage accredited employers in Greater Manchester when the GM Living Wage Campaign started. By March 21st, 2023 there were 629.
Click on the button to find out which Greater Manchester Employers are paying the Real Living Wage
Further information
To get involved in the campaign or to discuss your organisation becoming an accredited employer, please contact us.
To find out more about the Real Living Wage please visit the Living Wage Foundation website. The Foundation promotes this agenda nationally and sets the new hourly living wage payrates each autumn. There is information about becoming an accredited Living Wage Employer here.
Latest news
Updates on the Greater Manchester campaign are published in Greater Manchester Poverty Action’s fortnightly newsletter – which if you don’t already receive you can subscribe to here. If you would like to receive information on the campaign directly please sign up by emailing the campaign coordinator.
It’s good to be able to start this update with the positive news that Trafford Council agreed recently to apply for accreditation as a Real Living Wage Employer. Great news for hundreds of workers struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.
Trafford Council Leader Councillor Tom Ross said: “One of our corporate priorities is to support people out of poverty and paying the Real Living Wage is a key action in responding to the cost-of-living crisis at a time when costs are increasing. We have also agreed to apply for Living Wage Accreditation which formally recognises and celebrates employers who choose to go further than the government’s minimum hourly rate.” You can hear Tom talking about this exciting development on the latest GMPA podcast by going to Councillor Tom Ross Podcast
On February 8th GMPA’s John Hacking and Laura Burgess attended an event organised by the Work and Equalities Institute at the University of Manchester. At the event we, along with representatives of trade unions, activists and academics discussed whether and how local good employment charters could influence employers to improve their employment practices including paying the Real Living Wage. The workshop formed part of a research project exploring how local employment charters attempt to influence and regulate employers at local level, taking in experiences across the GM City Region. A report on the points arising from the event will be shared in a future update.
This year, on July 6th, the Living Wage Champion Awards will be held in Manchester. If you know an individual or organisation that has made an outstanding contribution to the drive to tackle low pay and poverty through the Real Living Wage Campaign this is a great opportunity to get them some recognition. Put your nominations in at Living Wage Champion Awards
At the time of writing, there are 613 accredited Real Living Wage Employers in Greater Manchester, up 22 since the last update. We are on track with the action plan target of 650 accredited employers by the end of 2023.
John was pleased to attend the recent GM Real Living Wage Action Plan Steering Group meeting and planning is underway for the next Campaign Strand meeting on March 17th.
John Hacking, GMLWC Coordinator
Best Wishes and Stay Safe.
GM Living Wage Campaign Coordinator
John Hacking
Twitter : @GMlivingwage Facebook: www.facebook.com/gmlivingwage
The Greater Manchester Living Wage campaign is run by Greater Manchester Poverty Action.
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