From L-R: Lola McEvoy, communications and campaigns manager at the Living Wage Foundation; Lewisham Council member Joe Dromey; Jane Powell, deputy Warden at Goldsmiths. Credit: Goldsmiths University
Goldsmiths University of London has received official recognition for paying its staff the voluntary London Living Wage.
The London Wage Foundation (LFW) provided the east London university with an accreditation and licence to support the university’s commitment to the initiative.
The London Living Wage (LLW), is a hourly rate set independently by the Greater London Authority and is changed annually according to the capital’s cost of living and inflation rate.
This recognition means that Goldsmiths will become a LWF employer, joining other employers in the borough such as Lewisham Council, Rushey Green Time Bank and the New Cross Gate Trust.
As a result, the university will also be eligible to apply for one year of discounted business rates from the council.
Patrick Loughrey, warden of Goldsmiths, said: “We want to support all who work here and are determined to help them cope with the cost of living in the capital.
“It is also fantastic to get official confirmation of our commitment to fair and ethical pay for our employees.
“Alongside our dedication to fair pay we also have a network committed to staff development to ensure that Goldsmiths is a true learning organisation where everyone can grow.”
Goldsmiths University has been paying its employees the London Living Wage, which is currently at £9.40, for five years now.
This rate is more than 20 per cent higher than the government’s National Minimum Wage of £6.70 an hour.
Katherine Chapman, director of LWF, said: “We are proud to welcome Goldsmiths, University of London, an institution steeped in a culture of supporting communities, to our movement. In times of economic uncertainty, paying fair wages is even more important. The Living Wage accreditation is the stamp of an ethical employer.
“Together we’re lifting people out of poverty – Goldsmiths, University of London, joins our network of over 2,600 accredited Living Wage employers who are going above and beyond the statutory minimum to provide stability and proper wages for their low-paid workers.”
Lewisham Council was one of the first councils to pay the London Living Wage to its staff.
Sir Steve Bullock, mayor of Lewisham, said the council paid the voluntary wage because, “it was the right thing to do morally”.
“We’re determined to tackle poverty in Lewisham and to encourage employers to do the right thing. A fair day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay”, he added.
Sir Steve hopes that this will encourage more employers in Lewisham to pay “an ethical wage” to its staff so it covers the cost of living in London.
