Preston becomes the first real Living Wage City in Lancashire
Preston becomes the first real Living Wage City in Lancashire
On Tuesday 5 November 2024, Preston City Council held a celebration event as they became the first Real Living Wage city in Lancashire and gave a platform to other Real Living Wage employers to share their experiences and benefits of becoming an accredited Real Living Wage employer.
The Q & A panel saw employers such as Michael Manley from GLL, Kath O'Flaherty from Preston City Council and Nick Burnham, Principal at Cardinal Newman College, share their first-hand experiences of being accredited Real Living Wage employers and encouraged others to follow suit.
"It's wonderful that Preston City Council is an accredited Living Wage employer and now has Living Wage City status. We would love for other employers and councils to follow suit. As proven by conversations with both employers and employees, staff morale and retention improve significantly in businesses paying the real living wage." Councillor Valerie Wise, Cabinet Member for Community Wealth Building
"The Living Wage agenda is intended to promote the economic and social well-being of people living and working in Preston…We've had an excellent response in recruiting younger workers into apprenticeship roles." Kath O'Flaherty, Head of Workforce at Preston City Council
"The impact of a council or major employer accrediting to the real Living Wage can be significant. Accredited Living Wage employers need to ensure both their direct and contracted staff are paid the real Living Wage, leading to pay rises for many workers. Some councils go further, using their local networks and influence to extend broader uptake of the real Living Wage.
In Preston, Preston Council has encouraged other local employers to accredit as Living Wage employers; a quarter of low-paid workers in the city and its surrounds have now received a pay increase due to their place of work becoming an accredited Living Wage employer." Phoebe Devenish, Project Manager, Living Wage Places.
The Preston Living Wage action team and Lancashire Citizens hope that other employers and places in Lancashire will follow this example.
Everyone needs a decent standard of living to thrive.
Be part of a movement that’s bringing people, businesses and communities together across the UK, to win the real Living Wage and end the injustice of in-work poverty.