Living wage for West Ham stadium staff

The operators of the London Stadium are close to striking deals that would see all workers there paid the London living wage in time for West Ham United’s first home game of the season.

A day after a Daily Telegraph investigation revealed the scale of the use of cheap casual labour by Premier League clubs, it can be revealed that a major move to address the problem is imminent.

The Telegraph has learnt that the operators of the London Stadium have been working to renegotiate contracts with their suppliers that would mean the inclusion of a clause guaranteeing that all workers there would be paid the independently calculated London living wage of £9.75 per hour.

The intention is for new deals to be in place in time for West Ham’s opening home game of the campaign against Huddersfield Town, which is not until Sept 11 due to the London Stadium’s staging of the athletics World Championships.

That move could lead to West Ham, who say all their directly employed staff receive the London living wage, becoming only the third Premier League club after Chelsea and Everton to be accredited as a Living Wage Employer.

The London Stadium is publicly owned and rented by West Ham for £2.5 million a season.

A spokesperson for the stadium operators, E20 Stadium, said: “We are currently working with our sub-contracting firms with the aim of ensuring all staff are paid the London living wage as soon as practicably possible.”