150thorganisation confirmed as an accredited living wage employer
There are now 150 organisations in Scotland paying employers the living wage after a Cumbernauld windows firm became the latest to be accredited.
CMS Window Systems gave a pay increase to 96 of their 209 employees, meaning that all of their staff are now paid at least £7.85 an hour.
The number of accredited employers has increased significantly over the last 12 months as the Scottish Living Wage Accreditation Initiative, a project hosted by the Poverty Alliance, has started to reach out to more employers.
There are around 1,300 accredited employers across the UK as a whole.
Peter Kelly, director of the Poverty Alliance and co-chair of the Scottish Living Wage Campaign, said: "We thought it would take us much longer to reach the target of 150 accredited living wage employers in Scotland. However, thanks to the enthusiasm of Scottish employers and the additional resources supplied by the Scottish Government, we are making fast progress in spreading the arguments for the living wage.
The living wage may seem like a small step, but it is through many such small steps that we will make the big changes that our society needs
"Employers like CMS Window Systems recognise the importance of paying the living wage, and through their example we are sure that many others across Scotland will do the same.
“By paying the living wage, employers like CMS are not only putting more money in the pockets of their employees, but are making a wider contribution to the communities they operate in and to addressing the wider patterns of inequality that exist in Scotland.
“The living wage may seem like a small step, but it is through many such small steps that we will make the big changes that our society needs."
Roseanna Cunningham, cabinet secretary for fair work, skills and training, visited CMS’ headquarters.
She said: “It has only been a few short months since Scotland’s 100th living wage employer was confirmed, and hitting another milestone so quickly clearly demonstrates the interest in and commitment to the living wage in this country.”
Andy Kerr, managing director of CMS, added: “Signing up to the living wage benefits us as a business in so many ways. Most importantly, the living wage is particularly helpful to our young workers whose role in our long-term business success cannot be understated.”
