Andy Burnham reveals plans for GM to become UK’s first Living Wage City-Region

Andy Burnham

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has announced a major drive for Greater Manchester to become the UK’s first Living Wage City-Region.

A new Living Wage City-Region action group has been established and will be headed up by Local Enterprise Partnership chair Lou Cordwell who will work with representatives across business, the public sector, trade unions, and the voluntary and social enterprise sector.

The new taskforce will set out a plan to achieve the aim of all jobs in Greater Manchester paying the real living wage by 2030.

The real living wage, calculated by the Living Wage Foundation, currently stands at £9.50 and is the only UK wage rate based on the cost of living.

In Greater Manchester over 1 in 5 jobs currently pays less than the real living wage, with women and those from the Asian and Black communities disproportionately affected.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “I made a commitment last year to make Greater Manchester the UK’s first Living Wage City-Region, and this week marks the start of a clear path to achieving that goal.

“The proposals we will be bringing forward will be about creating better jobs for our residents, but also about supporting our businesses to invest in people and grow in a positive and sustainable way. Paying a real living wage isn’t just the right thing to do for workers – it’s the right thing for businesses too.

“People already in low-paying jobs with unpredictable hours were left exposed to the worst effects of the pandemic, on their health and on their livelihoods. Now, Greater Manchester is calling time on insecure and low-paid jobs.

“Working together with representatives from some of the hardest hit sectors of our economy, like our hospitality businesses and our health and social care sector, we are united by a common belief that no worker in Greater Manchester should be paid less than they need to live on.

“This is the first step towards a making sure everyone working in Greater Manchester has the dignity of decent work, paid a real living wage for real living hours. This is what levelling-up looks like.”

The action group will work towards creating better jobs using Greater Manchester’s Good Employment Charter, a voluntary scheme which raises employment standards across the city-region through a set of criteria including payment of the real living wage.

Lou Cordwell

GM LEP Chair Lou Cordwell said: “Businesses in Greater Manchester increasingly recognise that they have a social responsibility, beyond simply making a profit.

“By paying a real living wage they can make a genuine and positive impact on their community.

“There is a strong business case for paying employees the real living wage. Organisations that have made the commitment benefit from more motivated employees, enjoy a reputational boost, and find it easier to attract and retain staff.

“Creating a Living Wage City-Region is one of the key pillars of our Economic Vision for Greater Manchester.

“These proposals are a significant step towards realising that ambition, and I look forward to working with the action group to take them forward.”

Earlier this week Burnham also unveiled his vision for improved transport in the region including the acceleration of a ‘London-style’ bus system.

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