Notts: Fire employees to get living wage

Employees of Notts Fire Authority will now be guaranteed to earn the ‘living wage.’
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The policy, which means that the lowest salary is now £7.52 per hour, was agreed at the authority’s meeting on Friday 28th June.

All current employees’ wages are already at or above that level, so the changes will come into effect for any new employees starting at the first step ojn the payscale.

The living wage is higher than the legal minimum wage, and provides the level of income deemed necessary to meet basic needs such as housing, food, utilities, transport and recreation.

It is already being adopted by other employers across the county, including Newark & Sherwood District Council, Notts Community and Voluntary Service, accountants KPMG and toiletries retailer Lush. Fire Authority chair man Coun Darrell Pulk said: “The Authority felt that the statutory minimum wage is not enough for a decent quality of life and that all our employees should be entitled to the living wage.”

“In practice, this will not change our current wage bill, but it will come into force for any new employees on the lowest grade and sends out a clear message to the people of Notts that the Fire Authority values its employees and the work that they do.”

“We hope this will encourage other employers to adopt the same stance.”