Professor John Robertson OBA

Not being reported by BBC Scotland or BBC Scotland Business, despite being announced 8 hours ago on the Scottish Government‘s news website, on automatic Google alerts or followed, you’d think, by all serious serious journalists:

A record 4,000 employers in Scotland are now paying their staff at least the real Living Wage, boosting the salaries of 72,000 employees and supporting them with rising costs.

The milestone has been reached at the start of Living Wage Week, which celebrates the transformative impact the real living wage can have for workers and businesses alike, and encourages employers to sign up.

The Scottish Government has made paying the real Living Wage a requirement for organisations receiving public grants, helping to increase the number of people benefiting from a salary boost.

First Minister John Swinney said:

“Ensuring people are paid fairly is crucial to keep people out of poverty. The real Living Wage helps to make sure that salaries keep pace with the rising cost of living – supporting a fairer, more equal society.

“Paying the real Living Wage has significant benefits for employers, including improving staff retention and motivation. It also helps to increase spending in local economies, in turn boosting economic growth.

“I am pleased that we now have now reached a record accredited real Living Wage 4,000 employers, meaning that Scotland has proportionately around five times as many real Living Wage employers compared to the rest of the UK. That is very positive news, and we will continue to encourage more businesses to sign up – recognising the benefits for employers and employees alike.”

https://www.gov.scot/news/putting-more-money-in-peoples-pockets/