More firms in Stockport urged to pay Real Living Wage

Business leaders in Greater Manchester are calling on more businesses in Stockport and from across the city-region to join them in paying the Real Living Wage.

In a video released to celebrate Living Wage Week, from 6th to 10th November, Seddon Construction, Carrs Pasties, and Adept Corporate Services have all cited better recruitment, staff retention and profits as benefits of becoming Living Wage employers. The Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter teamed up with the University of Salford, Manchester City Council, Salford City Council, Factory International, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, and the Living Wage Foundation to make the film.

The video was unveiled on 6th November at the Living Wage Foundation’s Greater Manchester launch event in Salford; the city-region has over 700 businesses currently signed up to pay the voluntary living wage.

The government set minimum wage for employees aged 23 and over is £10.42, while the voluntary real living wage increased to £12 an hour, in October, for workers of all ages outside London.

Greater Manchester has set a goal of becoming the first city-region to pay all employees a real living wage.

This vision is championed by the Living Wage City-Region action group, led by the Mayor of Greater Manchester, working with businesses, local authorities, faith groups and voluntary and charitable organisations.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said:

“Employers across Greater Manchester increasingly recognise that paying the Real Living Wage and signing up for the Good Employment Charter is good for business, as well as being the right thing to do. As we celebrate Living Wage Week and the progress the movement has made in our city-region, it’s fantastic to see three businesses become such passionate advocates for fair pay.”

Greater Manchester’s Good Employment Charter is a voluntary scheme aimed at raising employment standards and wages across the region. Payment of the real living wage is an essential criteria for the ‘Member’ tier of the Charter – in Stockport, members include musicMagpie, One+All, Stockport Council and Grassroots Recruitment.

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

“We’re thrilled to launch this video with our partners, as it amplifies the message that fair wages are the cornerstone of good employment practices. It will serve as a catalyst for positive change, inspiring businesses across Greater Manchester and beyond to sign up to the Real Living Wage and contribute to a thriving local economy that benefits all its residents.”

Low pay disproportionately affects women, who make up 59.5% of low-wage earners. In Greater Manchester, 38.2% of Black/Black British workers and 34.8% of Asian/Asian British workers are in low-paying roles.