Fletchers celebrate Living Wage Employer accreditation
Fletchers are proud to announce that they have been accredited as a Living Wage Employer, sealing the company’s commitment to pay the Real Living Wage to every employee.
All employees can now expect to be paid at least the Real Living Wage as their hourly rate, helping to ensure that all members of the Fletchers team earn enough to cover the cost of living.
It’s important to note that the Real Living Wage is different from the National Minimum Wage and the National Living Wage, which are set by the government each April.
Instead, the Real Living Wage is calculated by the Living Wage Foundation, an independent organisation, and announced each Living Wage Week.
There’s no legal obligation to pay the Real Living Wage; instead, it is a mark of Fletchers’ commitment to giving all of our staff an hourly wage that covers the real cost of living.
At present that means hourly pay of at least £9.00 for all employees; there is also a higher Real Living Wage of £10.55 for companies in London.
Why pay the Real Living Wage?
More than 4,700 organisations pay the Real Living Wage voluntarily. Like them, we think that it’s important that employees get a fair rate of pay for the work they do and essential that they can earn an income that covers the cost of living.
This commitment includes our own employees, and also third-party staff contracted to provide work and services to Fletchers.
Already, hundreds of thousands of households up and down the country are benefiting from better pay and more confidence thanks to the Real Living Wage commitment.
Remember also that the Real Living Wage is recalculated each year, which means employees who are at or close to the RLW can rest assured that they will be paid enough in future years to cover any increases in the cost of living.
What this means for Fletchers
Living Wage Employer accreditation is something we are incredibly proud to have achieved, so it’s something we’re likely to mention in the future from time to time.
We want to make sure everyone knows that working for Fletchers means you will receive a good rate of pay, whether you are directly employed by us or contracted as a third-party supplier or service provider.
This is not the case for all companies in the North West – the Living Wage Foundation estimate that 23% of jobs in the region are paid less than the Real Living Wage, equivalent to over 630,000 workers.
Fletchers want to be part of the change that sees all the North West’s talented individuals receive a fair rate of pay, which is why we’re starting with our own workforce and contractors.
And it’s a long-term commitment – so as we take on new staff in the future, and as the Real Living Wage is recalculated each year based on the new cost of living, our accreditation means all members of the Fletchers family know they will always earn enough to pay the bills.
