NHS Tayside has been accredited as a Living Wage employer and is sharing the news during Living Wage Week, which runs from 14th to 20th November 2022. This year, with prices rising at their highest rate in decades, the real Living Wage is more important than ever.
All staff directly employed by NHS Tayside are already paid above the real Living Wage however this new commitment will see everyone working at NHS Tayside, including agency staff, contractors and procured services receive a minimum hourly wage of £10.90 per hour.
The real Living Wage is the only UK wage rate calculated according to the costs of living. Employers choose to pay the real Living Wage on a voluntary basis, recognising the value of their workers and ensuring that a hard day’s work receives a fair day’s pay.
This Living Wage rate was announced in September in response to the cost-of-living crisis. This rate is significantly higher than the government minimum for over 23s, which currently stands at £9.50 per hour.
Professor Grant Archibald, Chief Executive of NHS Tayside said:
“I am proud that NHS Tayside has been confirmed as an accredited Living Wage employer, which cements our commitment to making a difference for everyone in the communities we serve.
NHS Tayside is a both a major employer and a major business in the area, so this accreditation means that all businesses who work with us or are suppliers are also encouraged to ensure the payment of the real Living Wage to their staff.
This should support everyone in our local economy as well as helping individuals and their families meet the cost of living challenges that we each face every day.”
Jenny Alexander, Employee Director with NHS Tayside said:
“This accreditation demonstrates how highly we value our staff who are our most important asset. It also sets a standard for other businesses we work with across the area and is a step towards supporting the people of Tayside through the current cost of living crisis.”
Since 2011, the Living Wage movement has delivered a pay rise to over 59,000 people in Scotland and put over £370 million extra into the pockets of low paid Scottish workers.
In Scotland, more than 14% of all jobs pay less than the real Living Wage – around 330,000 jobs. Despite this, NHS Tayside has committed to pay the real Living Wage and deliver a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work, which is a significant boost for the Making Dundee a Living Wage City campaign.
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’s 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 Tayside on their Living Wage commitment, and I hope more organisations follow their lead by becoming Living Wage accredited.”
Christine McCaig, Living Wage Scotland Manager said:
“We’re delighted that NHS Tayside has become an accredited Living Wage employer. They join a growing movement of over 2900 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, and D.C. Thomson. We hope to see many more employers following their example.”