British Cleaning Council Supports Real Living Wage

• Content
• Cleaning, Hygiene & Washroom
• British Cleaning Council Supports Real Living Wage

21 January 2021

The British Cleaning Council has renewed its commitment to being a Living Wage employer, encouraging member organisations to support the payment of the Real Living Wage.

The BCC states that this commitment should apply equally to directly employed staff and also to third-party contracted staff.

Research published by the BCC early this year shows that the cleaning and hygiene sector is a UK top ten industry, employing 1.63 million people and contributing over £54bn to the economy.

Additionally, Unilever has today (21 January) said that by 2030, it will refuse to work with organisations that do not pay at least a living wage or income to its staff.

“Cleaning and hygiene personnel are hard-working, skilled and dedicated people and many are on the frontline in the fight against Coronavirus, often putting themselves at risk to do vital work, keeping key industries going and protect the health and wellbeing of others.”

–Jim Melvin

Deputy Chair, BCC 

BCC Chair Paul Thrupp said: “The BCC is proud to restate its commitment to the Real Living Wage campaign as we firmly believe a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s wage and that applies to all staff within our industry.

“Not only is paying the Real Living Wage good for employees and their families, but it is also good for businesses, bringing benefits such as improving morale and better staff retention.

Deputy Chair for the BCC, Jim Melvin added “Many organisations and businesses in the cleaning and hygiene sector are also Real Living Wage employers and we want to encourage more to make this commitment.

“Cleaning and hygiene personnel are hard-working, skilled and dedicated people and many are on the frontline in the fight against Coronavirus, often putting themselves at risk to do vital work, keeping key industries going and protect the health and well-being of others.

“They deserve a fair day’s wage for a hard day’s work and recognition of the skills and training they have acquired.”

Real Living Wage

In the UK, 2020’s Naming Scheme showed that several companies failed to pay £6.7 million to over 95,000 workers, in a breach of the National Minimum Wage. But the Real Living Wage goes beyond this minimum pay level.

The Real Living Wage is higher than the government’s minimum, or National Living Wage, and is an independently calculated hourly rate of pay that is based on the actual cost of living. It is currently £9.50 in the UK, with a higher rate of £10.85 for London, reflecting the higher costs of living in the capital.

Nearly 7,000 organisations voluntarily choose to pay the real Living Wage and have been accredited by the Living Wage Foundation.

Picture: a photograph of an English twenty pound note and some other coins

Article written by Ella Tansley | Published 21 January 2021

Share

Related Articles