Business leaders and employees at some of Greater Manchester's top firms – Seddon Construction, Carrs Pasties, and Adept Corporate Services - have backed the scheme in a video. The video premiered on Monday (6th November), during a Greater Manchester launch event for Living Wage Week (6th to 10th November). Around one in five jobs in Greater Manchester – roughly 200,000 – pay less than the real living wage. Leaders from Greater Manchester firms have backed paying the Real Living Wage in a video released today (6th November) to mark Living Wage Week. Better recruitment, retention and profits are just some of the benefits cited by Bolton headquartered Seddon Construction and Carrs Pasties, and Manchester firm Adept Corporate Services. Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter teamed up with the University of Salford; Manchester City Council; Salford City Council; Factory International; Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, and the Living Wage Foundation to make the film. It was shown at the Living Wage Foundation's Greater Manchester launch event in Salford for Living Wage Week (6th to 10th November). More than 14,000 UK businesses voluntarily pay this wage and in Greater Manchester, there are 700 employers currently signed up. The government set minimum wage for employees aged 23 and over is £10.42, while the voluntary real living wage increased to £12 an hour, in October, for workers of all ages outside London. For Manchester-based Adept Corporate Services, paying the real living wage has had a big impact. Shelley Hinard, Adept Corporate Services Contracts Manager, said: "We've got less absences amongst the staff and they definitely feel valued. Our staff retention for the business is 92.7 per cent - for our industry as a whole, that's absolutely outstanding." Mudasir Malik, Adept Corporate Services Security Supervisor, added: "It's made a massive difference. I'd rather stay at my company because they pay me what I believe I am worth." Bolton firms Carrs Pasties and Seddon Construction have also felt the benefits. Joe Carr, Carrs Pasties Director, said: "Innovation has actually improved across the board, right from production all the way through to the way we deliver to our customers. It makes a difference long term. You get more sales, more innovation, better productivity, and better profit." Craig Carney, Head of People at Seddon Construction, said: "When we started offering the real living wage six years ago, we've seen a 100 per cent retention rate with people within that salary band and that for us is amazing. That has had a real impact. It's also great for wellness since the cost of living crisis." Greater Manchester has set a goal of becoming the first city-region to pay all employees a real living wage. This vision is championed by the Living Wage City-Region action group, led by the Mayor of Greater Manchester, working with businesses, local authorities, faith groups and voluntary and charitable organisations. Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: "Employers across Greater Manchester increasingly recognise that paying the Real Living Wage and signing up for the Good Employment Charter is good for business, as well as being the right thing to do. As we celebrate Living Wage Week and the progress the movement has made in our city-region, it's fantastic to see three businesses become such passionate advocates for fair pay." Greater Manchester's Good Employment Charter is a voluntary scheme aimed at raising employment standards and wages across the region. And payment of the real living wage is an essential criteria for the 'Member' tier of the Charter. Ian MacArthur, Director of The Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter, said: "We're thrilled to launch this video with our partners, as it amplifies the message that fair wages are the cornerstone of good employment practices. It will serve as a catalyst for positive change, inspiring businesses across Greater Manchester and beyond to sign up to the Real Living Wage and contribute to a thriving local economy that benefits all its residents." This issue disproportionately affects women, who make up 59.5% of low-wage earners. In Greater Manchester, 38.2% of Black/Black British workers and 34.8% of Asian/Asian British workers are in low-paying roles. To find out more about the real living wage visit www.livingwage.org.uk and to learn more about the Charter visit https://www.gmgoodemploymentcharter.co.uk
