Canals sign up for Living Wage workers' deal

Lynn Anderson, Living Wage Accreditation Officer; destination assistant Lauren Hendry (25), of Falkirk, destination assistant; Keith Brown, Cabinet Secretary for economy, jobs and fair work; ICT apprentice Neil Pyott (18) of Cumbernauld; and Andrew Thin, chairperson Scottish Canals.

Scottish Canals, operators of the Falkirk Wheel, were revealed as Scotland’s 700th Living Wage Accredited Employers.

The Scottish Government has a target of 1000 by this autumn.

At a visit to the tourist attraction Keith Brown, Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, said; “This is a significant step in our drive to promote fairer working environments for Scottish employees and ensures people’s basic wage continues to meet the real cost of living.

“Paying the Real Living Wage makes sense for businesses. It’s an investment in people and all the evidence shows it leads to increased productivity and reduced staff absence, while sending a strong signal to customers about fairness.”

Andrew Thin, chairperson of Scottish Canals, said: “We are proud to be a Scottish Living Wage accredited employer. Thanks to our dedicated workforce, Scotland’s canals are in the midst of a renaissance and are making an increasingly vital contribution to the nation’s economy in the form of tourism, place making, and job creation.

“Our staff are central to ensuring our inland waterways continue to deliver all they can for all of the people of Scotland and, as a public body, it’s only right that we celebrate and give fair reward for that hard work.”

The new Real Living Wage rate was announced last October as £8.45 an hour.

Falkirk Council, CVS Falkirk, Lion Safety and Step Up, along with MSPs Michael Matheson and Angus MacDonald, are all local Living Wage employers.