The one thing local election candidates in London agree on
The one thing local election candidates in London agree on
This April, local election candidates of varied political backgrounds, across 17 London boroughs have agreed to work with Citizens UK community leaders to boost the number of accredited Living Wage employers.
Assemblies and roundtables have been held across London boroughs, including Westminster, Lewisham, and Barking and Dagenham, and attended by candidates across political parties.
Community leaders have also asked candidates to work with them on making ‘Living Hours boroughs’. The Living Hours accreditation builds on the foundation of the Living Wage, ensuring that everyone has the secure working hours they need to thrive.
With the cost of living still high on the national agenda, many candidates are addressing how they can ease the pressure for local people in the run up to local elections.
“Across our communities, we hear the same thing again and again: people are in work, but still struggling to get by because they’re not paid a decent wage or given secure hours.
Ultimately, a real Living Wage is about dignity. It means being able to cover the basics, to plan ahead, to feel like you and your family are able to thrive, not just survive. That’s why it’s so powerful to see local candidates across political parties commit to working with local people to increase the number of Living Wage and Living Hours accreditations in their boroughs. When communities, government and businesses come together, change is possible.” - Paul, Newham Citizens leader
The Making London Work for all project, led by Citizens UK and the Living Wage Foundation, aims to lift those in the Capital out of in-work poverty as well as tackle precarious work through the Living Wage and the Living Hours accreditations. Key sector focuses for the project are health and social care, sports, creative and cultural, and planning and construction.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the powerful movement for a real Living Wage, which to date has put over £1.97bn of extra wages back into the pockets of low paid Londoners. In London, this has helped over 150,000 low-paid workers, with over 4,000 London based employers currently accredited with the Living Wage Foundation.
"When I first started working, I relied on recruitment agencies. Most of the jobs were zero-hour contracts. Some weeks I had a shift or two, other times there were long gaps between work. I never knew when I would be working or how much I would earn, and I often had to travel long distances for short shifts. I also had to support my daughter, which made life even harder. It became impossible to live like this.
I then worked briefly at a café, where I was not paid the wages I was promised and was not given proper breaks. After that, I worked in a sweets company, but again the hours were unpredictable. After securing a job at an airport following unemployment, I suffered two injuries, without compensation and now I’m on light duties while working through pain. With a new contractor, I've been told I may lose my job if I cannot fully recover within a month.
My story is not unique. Many workers like me face uncertainty every day: unsafe conditions and constantly worry about keeping their jobs. We want to work and support our families, but we need fair conditions: a real Living Wage, regular hours, and to be treated with dignity and respect at work.” - Selma, Ealing Citizens leader
It's great to see that across the political spectrum, candidates have committed to working with local people to boost the number of Living Wage and Living Hours employers.
As we mark 25 years of the Living Wage movement, we’ve seen the impact a real Living Wage makes to so many people’s lives, but we know there is more work to do. Through the Making London Work for all project, we want this city to be a place where every worker is given the dignity of a wage and hours they can live off. That’s the London we want to build together, and it’s possible when local people like you and I have a seat at the table with decision makers.
Pete Brierley, Citizens UK Director, London
Over 13% of jobs in London are still paid below the real Living Wage, and London local authorities are still over-represented amongst the areas with the worst levels of low pay. The Making London Work for All campaign works to ensure that fair pay is part of a broader strategy for justice, addressing the connections between health, work, housing, and immigration.