Moray Council becomes a living wage accredited employer
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MORAY Council has been accredited as an official living wage employer.
Currently set at £9.90 per hour, higher than the £9.50 minimum wage for over 23s, the living wage takes into account essential day-to-day costs.
Moray Council chief executive Roddy Burns said: “As one of the largest employers in the area, it’s right that we lead by example and recognise the hard work our thousands of colleagues do, day in and day out, to provide the best possible standard of service to our communities.
“I’m pleased to see this accreditation awarded which demonstrates our commitment to paying the Living Wage to our much-valued staff.”
Moray Council has paid above the living wage rate since 2012, with £10.04 per hour the lowest pay point on its salary scale since April 2022.
Since 2011 the Living Wage movement has delivered a pay rise to over 55,000 people in Scotland and put over £310 million extra into the pockets of low paid Scottish workers.
Leader of Moray Council Councillor Kathleen Robertson said: “Achieving accreditation is a significant milestone and we proudly join the other Scottish councils with this mark of recognition.
“We know times are particularly challenging for many residents, and as a living wage employer we are playing our part in supporting our employees and valuing the work they do.”
Peter Kelly, director of The Poverty Alliance, which coordinates the living wage movement in Scotland, 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 Moray Council on their Living Wage commitment, and I hope more organisations follow their lead by becoming Living Wage accredited.”
Gail Irvine, Living Wage Scotland manager said: “We’re delighted that Moray Council has become an accredited living wage employer.
"They join a growing movement of over 2700 employers in Scotland who together want to ensure workers have what they need to thrive.
"Our living wage employer network includes lots of smaller employers as well as larger and iconic brands like SSE, abrdn, Barrs and Mackie’s of Scotland.
"We hope to see many more employers following their example.”
