The campaign to ensure people in Brighton and Hove are paid a living wage has won the backing of businesses and other big employers.
Brighton and Hove Chamber of Commerce, which is the driving force behind the local scheme, said more firms were on course to commit to the scheme.
It said that the legal minimum wage was £6.19. But, having looked at the true cost of living in Brighton and Hove, employees needed to earn £7.20 or £14,000 a year to have a living wage.
It added that the first batch of employers to pledge their commitment to paying a fair wage included Brighton and Hove Buses, ABC Translations and Sussex Police.
Others included a Brighton business called Oxford Consultants for Social Inclusion (OCSI), Brighton and Hove City Council and the Community and Voluntary Sector Forum.
Roger French, managing director of Brighton and Hove Buses, said: “We’re pleased to sign up because, if we truly want this city to be sustainable in every way, employers need to play their part in providing living and sustainable wages for employees who live and work in the city and contribute themselves to the local economy.”
The campaign does not require interns and sub-contracted staff to be paid the living wage, although it recommends it as good practice.
OCSI has agreed to pay its graduate intern the living wage. Yasmine Fahmy, the intern, said: “As a recent graduate, I have faced the difficulties of not only finding suitable employment, but in finding a job that pays.
“I believe the living wage scheme is of great importance, providing people with the opportunity to pursue a career that they are interested in while supporting themselves in the process.”
Julia Chanteray, president of Brighton and Hove Chamber of Commerce, said: “We’re delighted that the first batch of firms has shown their commitment to paying the living wage.
“Over the coming months, we will be signing up hundreds more Brighton and Hove businesses. We want everyone to receive a fair wage.”
Picture by Brighton Togs
I’m pleased to announced that Fiveways Playcentre in Florence Road, Brighton has become the first Nursery in the whole of the UK to be an accredited Living Wage Employer.