You are currently viewing Stockton North workers deserve the real Living Wage, says Alex Cunningham MP

Stockton North workers deserve the real Living Wage, says Alex Cunningham MP

Stockton North MP, Alex Cunningham, is calling on all local employers to pay their employees the real Living Wage.

This follows the Living Wage Foundation’s (LWF) Living Wage Week last week, which celebrated businesses who pay the LWF’s Living Wage of £8.75. In Stockton North, 21.7% of workers – 10,000 in total – earn less than the real Living Wage, a wage employers choose to pay on a voluntary basis to all workers over the age of 18 outside of London. The LWF Living Wage is 75 pence more than the statutory ‘National Living Wage’ implemented by the Government.

LWF employers in Stockton North include, Thirteen Housing, the Golden Smog micropub, equipment hire company A-Plant, and the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle which oversees three primary schools in Stockton North.

Alex said:

I’m pleased to support the LWF’s campaign for the real Living Wage. Not only is fair pay the right thing to do for people, but it brings big benefits to employers too. Staff paid the real Living Wage are found to be happier at work, and more likely to stay in their place of employment.

It’s fantastic to see that Stockton North already has some Living Wage employers, but with 10,000 workers in Stockton North earning less that the real Living Wage we need to do more to encourage other businesses to look at increasing the wages of their staff.

Alex will be organising an information event for local businesses with the Living Wage Foundation early in the new year.

The LWF is an independent movement of businesses, organisations and people who believe a fair day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay. The organisation accredits businesses as Living Wage employers to demonstrate that they pay their staff a fair wage. Unlike the National Living Wage which is calculated as a percentage of medium earnings, set at £7.50 and applicable for people aged 25 and over, the LWF Living Wage is determined by the cost of living based on a bracket of household goods and services.