Wales' public sector deserves a real wage

AN OPEN letter to Cabinet Secretary for Finance Mark Drakeford AM: Dear Cabinet Secretary, Last week marked the annual Living Wage Week and you will no doubt be aware that the Living Wage Foundation has released a new living wage rate of £8.75 per hour outside of London.

The arguments for paying the foundation "real" living wage are well-rehearsed and sensible. Clearly there is the ethical argument to pay people a fair rate which allows them to live in dignity with a decent standard of living. Then there are the benefits to those who pay the foundation living wage rate, which include increased productivity, a motivated workforce, increased retention and improved employee relations.

Unison has long campaigned for the "real" living wage rate to be paid across the whole Welsh public sector.

We are pleased the foundation rate is paid across the Wales NHS and is being rolled out across all Welsh colleges and universities, which we know has made a real difference for those who benefit from this increase.

However, tens of thousands of local government employees across Wales are still paid below the foundation living wage rate. In fact, a recent BBC Wales report identified that 15 of the 22 local authorities in Wales do not pay the foundation living wage rate.

We want Wales to become a "real" living wage nation and believe this can only be achieved if the Welsh Government demonstrates the political will and leads the way. Unison therefore renews our call on the Welsh Government to ensure the public sector in Wales is a foundation living wage rate employer, by providing the necessary resources to Welsh councils in the upcoming budget to make this a reality.

I look forward to hearing from you on this important issue.

Dominic MacAskill Unison Cymru Wales Head of Local Government