Poverty on our campuses is a major issue and we've been working with Citizens UK and UNISON to address this. You may not realise it but the cleaners and caterers working in your institution and union are often paid little more than the National Minimum Wage, in reality a poverty wage. The current National Minimum Wage of £6.08 per hour equates to less than £12,000 a year. Minimum Income Standard research by the Centre for Social Policy Research calculates that £16,000 edges an individual on to the right side of the poverty line; you can see this for yourself here. Nobody wants to see poverty wages paid at our institutions and unions and the only way to solve this is to pay the Living Wage.  

With this in mind we’ve produced a guide detailing how students’ unions can start the transition to becoming Living Wage employers.   

Our guide will take you through the following:

• What the Living Wage is and how it’s calculated?
• The ethical and business arguments for students’ unions to become Living Wage employer.
• How to get accredited as a Living Wage Employer.
• How University of Strathclyde Students' Association budgeted for the Living Wage

Nobody is expecting this to happen overnight and deciding to pay the Living Wage is a big decision which needs time and planning. The Living Wage can be achieved over a number over years and the Living Wage Foundation can work closely with your union to achieve a plan that fits your priorities and financial situation. LSESU has been paying the Living Wage for 5 years and has recently become accredited. USSA have recently budgeted for the Living Wage over three years in incremental rises. These unions have shown it’s possible to become Living Wage employers without a hitch, see how you can join them and read the guide here.