All of Greater Manchester’s local authorities now Members of Good Employment Charter

All 10 local authorities that make up Greater Manchester have become members of the city-region’s Good Employment Charter.

Launched in 2019, the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter is a voluntary membership and assessment scheme which aims to raise employment standards across the city-region, including through paying a real living wage, engaging staff in key decisions and endorsing fair and flexible working conditions.

Bolton, Oldham and Rochdale councils announced their membership on 24th November, with council leaders presented with Good Employment Charter plaques by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham. The three local authorities join Bury, Manchester, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, and Wigan councils, as well as Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), as Members of the Good Employment Charter.

Stockport Council achieved its membership of the charter in January 2023, and alongside the likes of Allied Bakeries, One+All, Grassroots Recruitment and Stockport Homes set the standard for employers in the borough through a commitment to offering high quality employment opportunities and supporting the wellbeing of colleagues.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said:

“I’m proud to see Greater Manchester’s councils leading by example when it comes to good employment. Local authorities are important anchor institutions, employing thousands of people, and their participation in the Good Employment Charter can help us grow the movement. The Good Employment Charter is doing outstanding work, ensuring people are paid fairly, treated appropriately, and making opportunities to progress available to all.”

Director of the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter, Ian MacArthur, said:

“It is a significant moment in the development of the Charter to have all 10 Boroughs as full Members. This doesn’t only mean that council staff now know they are working for a good employer, but it also sets a clear example and leadership across the city for other employers to follow.”

Organisations and companies of all sizes and sectors can sign up to the Good Employment Charter, which now has over 100 Members and even more Supporters, which have expressed a commitment to improving employment practices and attaining member status in the future.