Labour signs up to £7 living wage

Labour delegates at the Living Wage conference with the banner they all signed, pledging to pay at least £7 per hour

LABOUR councillors have pledged to pay a “living wage” of £7 per hour for council employees if they take power at the May elections.

And they want private businesses to follow their example, their leaders told a meeting at Failsworth School.

Instead of the minimum wage, currently £5.93 for over 21s, the delegates at the conference signed a banner pledging to introduce the £7 living wage to reduce the reliance on top-up benefits.

The pledge had the support of three local Labour MPs — Oldham West and Royton’s Michael Meacher, Phil Woolas, of Oldham East and Saddleworth, and Ashton MP David Heyes — as well as trade unions and voluntary organisations.

Speakers at the conference included Michael Stephenson, general secretary of the Co-operative Party, Deborah Litterman from the Fair Pay Network, Michael Meacher and Councillor Jim McMahon, leader of Oldham Council’s Labour group.

Councillor McMahon said: “Nearly 60 per cent of children in the UK living below the poverty line live in households where at least one person is working and earning less than the living wage.

“Oldham’s introduction of a living wage will build confidence and self-esteem for employees and employers.

“Oldham is a low-wage economy with a disproportionate number of workers earning the minimum wage. This needs to change and the introduction of a living wage will go some way to achieving this.”