Sign the petition at: www.change.org/p/city-of-york-council-pay-the-living-wage

You can make a difference!

Sign the York Labour Women’s Forum petition calling on the City of York Council to pay the Living Wage to all their services suppliers’ workers, as they have committed to do as a Living Wage Employer.

FAQ

1. What is the Living Wage?

The real Living Wage is £9 per hour for areas outside London for 2018-2019. It is calculated annually by the Resolution Foundation and overseen by the Living Wage Commission and is based on true UK living costs. The government’s ‘national living wage’ is not calculated according to the costs workers and their families need to live. You can find out more about it here: (www.livingwage.org.uk).

2. Why pay the real Living Wage?

Poverty is real and it’s here in York. The most effective way of lifting families out of poverty is by putting money in their pockets by paying a wage that reflects how much it costs to cover their basic living costs. Low wages predominantly affect single parents in part time service-based work, 90% of these workers are women. York has a high percentage of jobs in this category.

3. Why are you asking City of York Council to Pay the Living Wage?

City of York Council (CYC) is an accredited Living Wage employer. Part of the accreditation process commits CYC to paying all its directly employed workers the real Living Wage. CYC has been doing this since 2013. The second part of the accreditation commits CYC to implementing a plan to make sure all it’s service suppliers also pay their workers the Living Wage. CYC hasn’t fully implemented this part of their commitment. If they did, this would make a big difference to the income of York people working in the care sector, in our schools, and in waste collection services. Women tend to be the predominant group of workers in these services jobs.

York is a beautiful and historic place with a lot to be proud of. But it is a high cost, low wage and insecure work city. Too many working people are trapped in a struggle to make ends meet.

It’s not right that in a city like York:

• 6,346 children live in poverty. Most are in working households
• York Foodbank handed out 3,379 emergency food supplies last year
• Many working families can’t afford to pay their basic living costs

York Labour Women’s Forum wants to see:

1. City of York Council fully implement the real Living Wage for all its service supplier’s workers in line with its accreditation as a Living Wage Employer and ensuring everyone who works to provide council services is paid at least the living wage, including people working in care work, in our schools, and in waste collection services.
2. As many York employers as possible commit to paying the Living Wage and/or becoming accredited Living Wage employers.