Torbay Green Party Calls for a Living Wage Commission
The Torbay Green Party continues to campaign for real changes in the
lives of so many people who have been marginalised by the establishment parties
-
Torbay Green Party and the TUC in Paignton this week supporting a ‘Living Wage’ for Torbay
and has given its full support to the 'Living Wage Campaign' being run by
Torbay Trades Union Council (TUC).
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Dr Sam Moss, Chairman of Torbay Green Party said, 'Torbay Trades Council
is highlighting how their members are blighted by an ever-growing wage
inequality which endangers health and has a detrimental impact on family life. A real "living wage" of at least
£7.20 per hour, based on the work carried out for the Living Wage Foundation (LWF)
by Loughborough University, will provide a secure margin so that hard working
families do not fall into poverty and debt when they face the kind of
day-to-day challenges that the better off can take in their stride.'
Barrie Wood, Secretary of Torbay TUC commented, 'I am delighted to hear
that the Green Party locally and nationally are supporting the Living Wage Campaign,
as we seek to build a consensus in favour of justice at work.'
Sam added, 'the current minimum wage falls well short of what's needed –
more than a pound an hour short in fact – from last October the minimum wage
has been just £6.08. This is totally unacceptable. Every study finds the
"poverty threshold wage" to be higher than the minimum wage set by the
coalition government. If the Greens were in power the national minimum wage
would be set at the level of a real living wage equal to 60%
of net national average earnings. The "Living Wage" will rise above £7.20 in
November (approximately 3.5% according to the LWF). We call on Torbay Council
to establish a Living Wage Commission for the borough as soon as possible to
stop poverty wages being paid in Torbay and help reduce inequality.'
The proportion of people on low pay is steadily increasing and the
economic gap between Torbay and the rest of Devon and the UK has been widening
in recent years. The yearly
average income per person in Torbay is over £3,000 below the national average
and the bay area has pockets of severe deprivation – the consequences of this
will affect us all! The overwhelming evidence shows that more equal societies are healthier, happier and more prosperous.
Comments
by realityzone
Sunday, September 16 2012, 12:58PM
“DavidPBrooks is right. Care is needed here to avoid unforeseen consequences. How much will be achieved if employers large and small start saying, " I cannot start someone who is not experienced at £ 7 .20 its not cost effective " , so anther job not made available, more work exported to another country.”
by DavidPBrooks
Saturday, September 15 2012, 6:08PM
“if you remove income tax and NI from full time minimum wage earners you actually acheive a better take home pay than raising the wage to £7.20 per hour.
If you just raise the wage income tax will take 20% of that raise”