Inner London borough, Lambeth, has announced that it intends to start negotiations with contractor Veolia to pay the London Living Wage rate to staff working on its environmental services contract with the borough.
Lambeth council announced its intention to start the talks with Veolia in its Forward Plan earlier this month.
In the plan, Lambeth council said that it will start “negotiations with Veolia to bring all staff salaries up to at least the London living wage” and determine how it will implement the increase by the 20th November.
Details of who might foot the bill for any increase in wages have not been released, but a statement in the council’s Procurement Policy points out that it has made “significant budget provisions” in 2016/17 to ensure street cleansing and refuse collection staff are payed the living wage.
Lambeth has been an accredited London living wage employer since 2012.
Lambeth has been an accredited London living wage employer since 2012, claiming that it was “among the first” to be recognised.
However, Veolia – which currently has the environmental services contract with the borough to carry out domestic and commercial waste collections, and street cleansing – is not an accredited living wage employer.
Proud
Lambeth council leader, Cllr Lib Peck, told letsrecycle.com: “I’m proud that Lambeth is not only an accredited living wage employer, but also a Living Wage Friendly Funder.
“We strongly believe in Lambeth, in the importance of a fair wage to help reduce inequality, and it is our aim to see every business and organisation in the borough pay their staff the living wage.
“It is good for working people, good for society and it is good for employers, creating a positive and dedicated workforce.”
As discussions are just starting, Veolia said that it was not in a position to comment on the matter at present.
Living wage
In London, the living wage is calculated at £9.75 an hour and in the rest of the UK, £8.45 an hour. By comparison, the national minimum wage set by the government is £7.50 an hour. It is based on the amount calculated as to what a person needs to earn to cover their basic costs of living.
Lambeth council is among 3,500 UK organisations which pay the living wage and these include 14 other London councils such as Camden and Hackney, said the Living Wage Foundation.
The Foundation describes itself as being “at the heart of the independent movement of businesses and people that campaign for the idea that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay”.
Accredited
Programme officer, Lucy Bannister, said that many accredited councils “do make sure their waste contractors pay their staff the living wage” but it is not always the case.
The living wage applies to all staff who work regularly on an employer’s premises – specifically those who work two or more hours a day, in any day of the week, for eight or more consecutive weeks of the year.
Councils can commit to a phased implementation, which means that they can roll the living wage out across contracts as they come up for renewal.
In regards to the negotiations, Ms Bannister said: “It is fantastic that Veolia are doing this and it would be great if they could sign up as either a Service Provider or a fully accredited Living Wage Employer.”
Service providers can sign up as a Living Wage Employer where they can “commit to offering a living wage option for every future bid, quote or tender alongside a market rate bid for contracted out staff. This ensures the living wage is always an option in traditionally low paid work such as cleaning, catering or security,” Ms Bannister added.
Lambeth
According to the council, Lambeth encourages its contractors to pay the “real living wage”, and 97% of them do so.
Since 2012, Lambeth council has stated in its Procurement Policy that it has identified suppliers with a commitment to pay the living wage and worked with those who did not through procurement agreements or contract extension reviews. The council also emphasised that this commitment is applied where possible, “taking into account our financial challenges.”
Lambeth is also a keen supporter of the ongoing Lambeth-based Ritzy Cinema workers’ campaign for living wage which began in 2007.
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Source: letsrecycle.com General
