Workers on SSE’s new Caithness to Moray transmission project to be paid living wage
Energy firm SSE has awarded Scotland’s largest ever living wage contract – worth £460 million.
It will see 600 employees of engineering firm ABB Limited paid at least £7.65 per hour and £7.85 from April 2015.
The contractor is working on building a new underwater cable linking up more of the energy network in the north of Scotland.
Alistair Phillips-Davies, chief executive of SSE, said: “SSE is proud to play its part when it comes to being a responsible business and one which helps build a fairer and more prosperous Scotland.
“The new Caithness to Moray contract will make sure hundreds of workers on site will get a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work and reflects our commitment to being a responsible employer.”
Peter Kelly, director of The Poverty Alliance, added: “We welcome this announcement from SSE which demonstrates that even in large scale contracts it is possible to pay workers the living wage. Scottish businesses can all play their part in building a fairer and more prosperous society and paying the living wage is one way to do that.
“The living wage in Scotland is now gaining genuine momentum with employers – the number of employers paying it here has tripled from 20 to 70 since April. We recognise the support for the campaign from accredited employers like SSE and the Scottish Government.”
SSE was accredited as a living wage employer in 2013 remains the only energy supplier to do so. It recently received the Living Wage Champion Award for Scotland.
