The Slow Climb To Living Wage

Gorgie City Farm has become the 800th Scottish-based living wage accredited employer, with employees benefiting from fair work principles which the Scottish Government would like become a national standard.

The Scottish Government has set a target of reaching 1,000 Scottish-based living wage accredited employers by this autumn.

Cabinet Secretary of Fair Work, Keith Brown, said: "This is a significant step in our drive to promote fairer working environments for Scottish employees and ensures people's basic wage continues to meet the reel cost of living.

"Paying the Real Living Wage makes sense for businesses. It's an investment in people and all the evdience shows it leads to increased productivity and reduced staff absence, while sending a strong signal to customers about fairness.

"We will continue to work with the 'Scottish Living Wage Accreditation Initiative' to encourage more businesses to recognise the benefits of paying the real living wage as we more towards meeting our target."

In October of 2016 the new real living wage rate was announced to have gone up to £8.45 an hour, though this is still off of the much desired £10 an hour rate that politicians have been suggesting to citizens as the new minimum wage for years.

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