A Freedom of Information request has revealed that only four London boroughs have incorporated the London Living Wage into their procurement policies. Although there is a legal national minimum wage this is not enough to cover the high cost of living in London. The Greater London Authority’s Living Wage Unit, established in 2005 to tackle low pay in the capital, has stated that £7.45 per hour is the current minimum a Londoner should earn to remain above poverty level.
Darren Johnson said:
"If all Londoners are to get a fair pay deal, then we need to start by getting our local governments to implement the Living Wage to their staff. It is a disgrace that only a few London councils have policies that safeguard their employees from poverty wages. London councils should follow the examples of Transport for London, London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority and the Greater London Authority in adopting a Living Wage policy and ensuring quality of life for their workforce. "
"In a recession it will be all to easy for employers to make cut backs by paying workers minimum wage, but in London the minimum wage is no better than poverty pay. Even where councils are currently paying more than £7.45 per hour, unless they guarantee the Living Wage, which increases each year in line with the cost of living, their workers are at risks from pay cuts. I will be calling on the Mayor to encourage local London councils to implement a Living Wage policy for all their workers. "
Notes to Editors
Darren Johnson is available for comment
1. In July 2008 Mayor Boris Johnson in Greater London Authority publication, ‘A Fairer London: The London Living Wage 2008’ stated that all Londoners should be paid a minimum of £7.45 an hour to safeguard them from poverty. This publication can be found at http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/economic_unit/docs/living-wage-2008.rtf