UNISON receives information from many varied sources, one of these is the Church Action on Poverty who are running a campaign called 'Closing the Gap'. The 'Close the Gap' campaign encourages individuals to participate in the campaign against the ever widening pay gap between rich and poor in the UK which is greater now than at any time in the past 40 years. We need your help to tell those in power that it's time to Close the Gap.
Please read the information below, we would encourage all members involved in faith-based organisations to raise the issue of the living wage within those organisations and seek that they adopt the living wage if they have employees.
Each year, the level of the Living Wage gets reviewed and updated. It has now gone up from £7.14 an hour to £7.60. In London it is now £7.85 and in Scotland £7.15.
It is a sad fact that pay below this level is poverty wages. We believe that work should pay enough to lift people out of poverty. Thousands of hard-working families are still in poverty because people are paid just the National Minimum Wage. For Christians, this denigrates the fundamental dignity of humanity. It is an important issue of social justice to stand with people and families who are working hard but still in poverty.
Take action to stop this:
1. Make sure the administrators and cleaners at your church or employer are paid the Living Wage.
2. Ask your church leaders if they plan to implement the updated Living Wage across your area.
More information about the Living Wage is available on the Church Action on Poverty website.
Cranking up the campaign - Methodists lead the way
This summer's Methodist Conference saw them agree to require all Methodist churches and projects to pay the Living Wage by the end of this financial year, except in very exceptional circumstances. This has already lifted a significant number of lay workers out of 'in-work poverty'. This is the culmination of almost 10 years of work by Church Action on Poverty, and we pass on our congratulations to the Methodists. There is still a big job ahead to make sure the many churches and 600 Circuits adopt it.
Not far behind, the Baptists, the United Reformed Church, the Church of Scotland, and the Quakers are all publicly committed to the principle.
However, neither of the two largest denominations - the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England – has taken serious steps towards respecting their low-paid workers with a Living Wage. We will be in touch soon asking you to contact the Anglican or Roman Catholic bishops in your diocese.
