Local MSP Ruth Maguire has received her official accreditation as a Living Wage employer in a week which also saw Scottish Canals become the 700th Living Wage accredited employer across Scotland.
The Scottish Government has set a target of reaching 1,000 Scottish-based Living Wage Accredited Employers by autumn 2017.
Ruth Maguire is a long-standing supporter of the Living Wage. Since becoming elected as an MSP, she has spoken in a Holyrood debate promoting the Living Wage in Scottish Football, and visited local Living Wage employer, VOCA call centre, to learn more about their work and explore ways to encourage other employers to take the Business Pledge and become Living Wage employers.
Commenting, Ruth said:
‘The Living Wage is the right thing to do, from both a moral and a business perspective.
The Living Wage of £8.45 an hour ensures that people’s basic wage continues to meet the real costs of living.
For business, paying the Living Wage makes sense – it’s an investment in people and all the evidence shows that it leads to increased productivity and reduced staff absence and turnover, while sending a strong signal to customers about fairness.
With millions of workers worse off as a result of the UK Government’s welfare cuts, and low pay one of the main drivers of in-work poverty, employers can make a real difference by choosing to pay the real Living Wage.
I would encourage all businesses in Cunninghame South to recognise the benefits of paying the Living Wage and to join me in becoming a Living Wage accredited employer.’
Ruth Maguire MSP 