Cairn Ecology has become an accredited Living Hours employer in Scotland. They are the 3rd East Kilbride based company to become Living Hours accredited, joining Mage Control Systems and GavHas Services in committing to this standard.
The Living Hours accreditation requires employers to pay the real Living Wage (£9.90/hr) to all their employees over the age of 18 and commit to providing at least four weeks’ notice for every shift, with guaranteed payment if shifts are cancelled within this notice period.
Living Hours employers also provide a guaranteed minimum of 16 hours every week (unless the worker requests otherwise), and a contract that accurately reflects hours worked.
Cairn Ecology has been an accredited Living Wage employer since June 2020. This announcement of their commitment to Living Hours further demonstrates the importance they place on setting standards on fair work.
Research published last year by the Living Wage Foundation showed that 11% of workers in Scotland are in insecure work and paid below the Living Wage. This is approximately 300,000 workers. The Living Hours standard was created to ensure that people have predictable working patterns and income, enabling them to better plan their lives.
In July 2021 Living Wage Scotland began delivering the Living Hours accreditation programme to increase the number of Scottish employers recognised for offering Living Hours alongside a real Living Wage. Cairn Ecology is the 11th employer to benefit from the scheme which is delivered through the Living Wage Scotland programme at the Poverty Alliance and is funded by the Scottish Government.
Cairn Ecology said:
“The values of both Living Wage and Living Hours align intrinsically with our company values and what we stand for. Following our Living Wage accreditation in 2020, we are proud to obtain our Living Hours accreditation too. We are very happy to be part of this initiative, and part of the drive for fair and sustainable working conditions for workers across all industries.”
Christine McCaig from Living Wage Scotland said:
“There are over 2700 Scottish-based employers that are committed to paying at least the real Living Wage, and it’s fantastic to see Cairn Ecology take further steps to protect their workers from low pay and insecure work by becoming Living Hours accredited.
The values that led them to commit to the real Living Wage are the same values that have led to their expanded commitment to fair work at a time when workers need it most.”