Dundee launches bid to become UK’s first ‘living wage city’

Dundee - Image credit: Dundee City Council

Dundee has launched a bid to become the first ‘living wage city’ in the UK.

Working in partnership with Living Wage Scotland, an alliance of major local employers, including media firm DC Thomson, Dundee City Council and Dundee and Angus College, has published an action plan to encourage other companies to sign up.

The aim is to double the number of people working for living wage employers in Dundee over the next three years.

More than 50 employers, covering a quarter of workers in Dundee, have already committed to ensure all their staff and subcontracted staff receive a real living wage of £9.00 an hour, more than a pound higher than the UK Government minimum of £7.83.

Dundee City Council leader Councillor John Alexander said: “In Dundee we are incredibly proud to be championing the real living wage and implementing this new approach to encourage more local businesses to pay the real living wage.

“The city council is one of the largest living wage employers in the city, ensuring that all our workers receive a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work.

“I am aware that there is still more to do, and we will work with partners to encourage and support more employers in the city to pay the real living wage.”

Minister for Fair Work Jamie Hepburn said: “It is fantastic to see Dundee setting out its ambition to become the UK’s first ‘living wage city’.

“The significance of the living wage cannot be overstated. 

“Evidence shows that paying it leads to increased productivity, better morale and lower sickness absence.

“It also demonstrates to the world that an organisation is committed to treating its workforce well.

“While Scotland is making good progress in becoming a living wage nation, and punches well above its weight in terms of the proportion of people paid at least the living wage, more remains to be done.

“The Scottish Government is committed to doing everything in our power to put fair work and equality at the heart of our labour market.”

Lynn Anderson, living wage places national coordinator at Living Wage Scotland, added: “We are delighted to launch the ‘Making Living Wage Places’ scheme and recognise Dundee as the first city in the UK to adopt the approach.

“This scheme encourages local employers to work together to promote the benefits of paying the real living wage to other businesses. 

“The alliance of local living wage employers in Dundee have produced an impressive action plan which should see thousands of workers in Dundee benefit from pay increases to the real living wage over the next three years, and recognition of this is well deserved”.