Life for Living Wage Campaign

The two year Campaign for a Living Wage in Brighton & Hove is to kick off in August 2012 with the appointment of a Campaigns Manager to the staff of the Brighton & Hove Chamber of Commerce, which will run the campaign.

The Campaign for a Living Wage springs from the ‘Commission on the Living Wage’, chaired by Julia Chanteray, the President of the Chamber of Commerce. The commission was established in October 2011 to consider the benefits and challenges of establishing a Living Wage for the city.

The Living Wage differs from the National Minimum Wage by establishing pay at a level based on what’s needed to provide the essentials of life for people living in Brighton and Hove. Unlike the National Minimum Wage, the Living Wage is voluntary. The idea of the Living Wage has taken off in the last year, with David Cameron saying, “It is an idea whose time has come” and Brighton and Hove is now at the forefront of moves to make it a widespread reality.

The Commission agreed that a Living Wage of £7.20 per hour is needed for Brighton & Hove.

Some of the biggest employers in the city, including the Council, Brighton and Hove Bus Company and the Albion have already signed up to the Living Wage. In February 2012, the Chamber of Commerce held a “Big Debate” to enable the city’s businesses to voice their views directly and, when it came to the vote, the Living Wage received an overwhelming business endorsement.

In April 2012, the city’s Living Wage Commission announced that a business-led, two year Campaign for a Living Wage would be spearheaded by the Chamber of Commerce, with the goal of making Brighton and Hove a great example of how the Living Wage can become the regular, normal and accepted minimum level of payment for all employers in the city. The Chamber’s aim is to pursue not only equality but the business case that a Living Wage contributes to increases in productivity, profile and profitability, and will be a major boost to the city’s economy.

Julia Chanteray, Chamber president, said:
"The Brighton & Hove brand is at the centre of many discussions at the moment, not least because it depends on – and is a major boost to – the city’s businesses. The fact that the Brighton and Hove Chamber of Commerce is leading the campaign to make a voluntary Living Wage of £7.20 per hour a reality in the city, with the full support of our hundreds of business members, shows just how forward thinking our business community is and enhances the city brand."

She continued:
“Our goal over the next two years is to see Living Wage badges commonly around the city, on shop windows, business letterheads and websites. All these businesses would be backing the pledge to pay no less than £7.20 per hour and either implementing the Living Wage or actively working towards it. By making the Living Wage visibly a part of normal city life, we hope to raise the standard of living for hundreds of city workers and boost business through improved productivity and through demonstrating how customers will favour businesses that advertise their Living Wage commitment.”

The post of Campaigns Manager is now being advertised on the Chamber website at http://www.businessinbrighton.org.uk/news/chamber-seeks-campaigns-manager-living-wage, with applications closing on July 6th, 2012. The Campaigns Manager will spend two days a week on the Living wage Campaign and further time on other Chamber campaigns.

For further information please contact

Sarah Springford, director
Brighton & Hove Chamber of Commerce
Tel: 01273 719097
Email: director@businessinbrighton.org.uk
Site: http://www.businessinbrighton.org.uk/ridethewave
Twitter: @brightonchamber

Copy: Rob Shepherd, Press Dispensary