Call to strengthen national minimum wage
A think-tank report has calculated that the planned increase in the national minimum wage for 2012 will leave it lower in real terms than it was in 2004, and 6 per cent below its 2009 peak.After sharp...
View ArticleCall to extend payment of ‘living wage’
Paying a ‘living wage’ is affordable for big companies in some sectors, including banking, construction, computing and food production, according to a new think-tank report. It calculates the average...
View ArticleMinimum wages across Europe fall short of poverty thresholds
A new academic paper has looked at the role of minimum wages, tax and benefit policies in protecting workers against financial poverty in 21 European countries with a national minimum wage, together...
View ArticleMinimum wage policies in Europe – single-rate systems ‘less effective’
Minimum wage policies based on a single national minimum rate are less effective than others at protecting low-paid workers, according to researchers in Brussels.Researchers at the European Trade Union...
View ArticleAusterity puts pressure on minimum wages in Europe
Pressure on minimum wages arising from government austerity measures has been highlighted by a European trade union think tank.The briefing paper examines recent trends in minimum wages across Europe...
View ArticleUp to a fifth of Londoners earn less than living wage
Between 16 and 20 per cent of London’s workforce earn less than the ‘living wage’ for the capital, a study for the Greater London Authority has found.The report examines patterns of low pay in London,...
View ArticleCall for living wage in Manchester
People in the Greater Manchester area need to earn £7.22 per hour, working full time, in order to enjoy a reasonable quality of life, according to a think-tank report.The New Economy report says a...
View ArticleLiving Wage (Scotland) Bill – consultation begins
An MSP has begun consultation on a proposed Bill to require private sector employees working on public sector contracts to be paid the ‘living wage’. The Bill would also require the Scottish Government...
View ArticleLink between in-work poverty and low pay is complex
There is no simple link between in-work poverty and low pay in European countries, finds a study funded by the European Commission. Tackling in-work poverty is therefore not as straightforward as...
View ArticleBenefits of London ‘living wage’
Paying a 'living wage' has a range of potential benefits to workers, companies and the government, according to an academic study commissioned by campaigners. The study looked at the experiences of...
View ArticleNearly 5 million workers paid below 'living wage'
As many as one in five workers – some 4.82 million people – are paid less than a 'living wage', according to a new analysis. The study is published by a leading accountancy firm that supports the...
View Article‘Living wage’ increased to £7.45 an hour
Updated figures have been produced for the 'living wage'– the minimum level of pay needed to provide an adequate standard of living for an average household. The Centre for Research in Social Policy...
View ArticleEarnings gap widens since 1980s
The top 1 per cent of earners enjoyed a real-terms increase of 117 per cent over the 25 years between 1986 and 2011, according to a new official analysis – compared with the average of 62 per cent, and...
View ArticleNational minimum wage has reduced wage inequality
The national minimum wage (NMW) has played a significant role in reducing wage inequality – at least in the bottom half of the wage distribution – according to researchers at the London School of...
View ArticleMinimum wage increases by 1.9 per cent
The national minimum wage for adults will rise by 12p from October 2013 to £6.31 an hour, ministers have announced. This represents a cash increase of 1.9 per cent – but a real-terms cut when compared...
View ArticleFuture of national minimum wage
Publication date: Friday, July 5, 2013A sensible national minimum wage policy can boost pay without harming unemployment, and without large offsetting declines in working hours or non-wage benefits,...
View ArticleCould ‘pre-distribution’ boost the wage share?
Publication date: Monday, September 16, 2013Author/s: Stewart Lansley There has been much debate of the merits of tackling inequality by prioritising ‘pre-distribution` - of attempting to achieve a...
View Article4.8 million people earning less than ‘living wage’
Publication date: Wednesday, September 4, 2013The economic downturn has pushed the earnings of a further 1.4 million employees below the level of the 'living wage' since 2009, according to a new report...
View ArticleLength of time on minimum wage
Publication date: Saturday, October 26, 2013As many as 320,000 people have been trapped on the lowest rung of the pay ladder for five years or more, it has been revealed in a new report from the...
View ArticleOver 5 million paid below living wage
Publication date: Monday, November 4, 2013The number of people paid less than a 'living wage' has jumped by more than 400,000 in a year to over 5.2 million, says a report for the international tax and...
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