In Scotland, there are approximately 414,000 people
currently paid below the Living Wage.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club has become the first football
club in Scotland to become an officially accredited Living Wage Employer. The
move will see all staff employers at the club paid the Living Wage. The Living
Wage was uprated to £7.85 per hour in November, £1.35 per hour more than the
National Minimum Wage.
Peter Kelly, Director of the Poverty Alliance, said:
“Congratulations to Heart of Midlothian on becoming
Scotland's first Living Wage Accredited football club. We are delighted that Heart of Midlothian
will pay all staff who work at the club the Living Wage, and that they have
opted to have their commitment to the Living Wage recognised through the
accreditation mark. This is an important step forward for the campaign to end
poverty pay in Scotland. Almost two in three children in poverty in Scotland
live in a household where someone works, and the Living Wage is a vital tool in
lifting people out of in work poverty. Football clubs have an important role in
communities across Scotland. With thousands of people turning out every week to
support their local clubs, they can play an important leadership role, not only
for fans but for the businesses they work with. I hope that more clubs will
follow Heart of Midlothian's example but not only giving their staff a pay rise
this Christmas, but by showing real leadership on this issue on and off the
pitch.”
Chelsea FC has become the first English football club to be
accredited as a Living Wage Employer. At the same time the club will also start
the process of ensuring staff of external contractors will also receive the
Living Wage for working at Stamford Bridge, Cobham training ground and all
areas where the club operates. Chelsea will also ensure any additional agency
employees not currently meeting the criteria to recieve the Living Wage will
also get the same rates of pay.
In contrast, in the Observer, Kevin McKenna writes:
“Last month, Celtic, the richest sporting organisation in
Scotland, had to be dragged screaming and protesting by its own fans to a
decision to pay the living wage to its full-time employees. The club still
refused to budge on a similar rate for its hundreds of part-time workers and
was still bleating about remaining competitive and not allowing its wage policy
to be influenced by a third party (the Living Wage Foundation). This club was
established by poor people for poor people and receives loyal backing still
from many poor people. The entire board of directors, a gentrified assortment
of CV-embellishers, ought to be made to resign"
