THE LEADER of Barking and Dagenham Council, Liam Smith announced that the council would be implementing a living wage of £9 an hour for all staff.
This is believed to be the highest living wage introduced by any local authority in Britain. This increase from £8.30 will benefit 1,525 staff currently employed by the council
Council staff will see the increase in their wages as of the March.
Cllr Smith told ITN that: “As a responsible employer, this Labour administration is delighted to be able to reward our hard working staff with a pay increase they deserve. This increase will help people who are currently struggling during hard times but are still doing their best to balance the books.
With such close links to Thurrock Council, YT asked Labour councillor, Richard Speight, who had seconded a motion on the living wage, whether he supported it.
Cllr Speight said: “Anything which makes the standard of living more acceptable for working people must be a good thing.
“We are looking at introducing the living wage in Thurrock and I happen to think that Barking have introduced a good initiative.
I thought council’s were selling grannies and young children to make ends meet. We now hear that they can afford to have a minimum wage 37% above the national minimum wage and now plan to increase that by 8.4%. They really sound like their on their uppers. Don’t forget, we’re all in this together. I think that’s what they say when they pick up their final salary pensions that the rest of us have paid for. Good old Labour double standards.
Well said No Voice
What councils need to do is bring down the top rate of pay. For a public sector council cheif to be getting a salary of 175k+ is ridiculous. If people want to earn big money they should be working in the private sector.
The higher the wage the lower the benefits that will be paid. For every £1 extra in wages those staff who claim Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit receive they will lose 65p Housing Benefit and 20p Council Tax Benefit and the higher the wage the lower the award of Tax Credits will be – so any increase in wages will reduce the tax burden in paying work related benefits.
Ed I made a point some time ago that the minimum wage shold be £01 an hour for the very reasons you have hjust outlined. I was branded a loon by the left. The point being here is that Councils have been screaming bankruptcy and an imminent breakdown in law and order if they have to cut their budgets to the extent the government wants and now they introduce a minimum wage of £9 an hour which is funded by taxpayers. So effectively we are replacing one subsidy paid for by the taxpayer for another taxpayer funded subsidised job. Their pensions are subsidised by the taxpayer. Then Labour have the audacity to scream about the banks getting bailed out.