NHS Grampian is pleased to confirm it is now a fully accredited Living Wage employer, following assessment by Living Wage Scotland and the Poverty Alliance. The Living Wage commitment means employers pay a minimum hourly wage of £9.90 per hour.
In addition to this, the health board is committed to working with third party suppliers to ensure regular workers employed through third parties are also paid at least £9.90 per hour.
NHS Grampian is a major employer in the North East of Scotland and this accreditation strengthens the ambitions of Making Aberdeen a Living Wage City.
Adam Coldwells, Deputy Chief Executive, said:
“Pay in the NHS in Scotland is set nationally, and we were already paying the minimum amount required for accreditation. However, we deal with a great many external contractors, so the commitment to work with them to encourage the same was a big undertaking. I am delighted so many of them have been willing to come on board.
“We want NHS Grampian to be an anchor organisation, an employer which brings people to – and keeps them in – the north-east of Scotland. Achieving Living Wage accreditation is one part of that.”
In Scotland, more than 14% of all jobs pay less than the real Living Wage – around 330,000 jobs. Since 2011 the Living Wage movement has delivered a pay rise to over 55,000 people in Scotland and put over £310 million extra into the pockets of low paid Scottish workers.
Peter Kelly, Director of The Poverty Alliance said:
“We all need an income that is enough to cover our needs and protect us from poverty, and it is only right that employers pay a wage that reflects the cost of living. Too many workers in Scotland are paid less than the real Living Wage and, at a time of rising costs, are struggling to stay afloat. The real Living Wage can offer protection from those rising costs.”
“Congratulations to NHS Grampian on their Living Wage commitment, and I hope more organisations follow their lead by becoming Living Wage accredited.”
Gail Irvine, Living Wage Scotland Manager said:
“We are delighted that NHS Grampian has become an accredited Living Wage employer. They join a growing movement of over 2700 employers in Scotland who together want to ensure workers have what they need.
Our Living Wage employer network includes lots of smaller employers as well as larger and iconic brands like SSE, abrdn, Barrs, Mackie’s of Scotland, & D.C. Thomson. We hope to see many more employers following their example.”