It’s been a lengthy battle but it seems as if Arsenal are finally starting to shift on the living wage issue.
Using a number of external contractors, the Gunners were not able to control the wages paid to the people working for these companies but it was with a sense of pride that we all listened to the club inform us that they will require contractors to pay their staff a living wage and this issue will be part of any contract negotiations.
Speaking at the AGM on Thursday, Ivan Gazidis told those assembled
Gazidis says Arsenal are requiring contracters to address living wage in contract renewals. That’s welcome and shows club listening
— tim payton (@timpayton) October 15, 2015
The living wage in London is currently set at £9.15 and is assessed annually and set independently. The decision to pay the living wage to employees is a voluntary undertaking by employers and has been shown to improve both business and the lives of employees.
LivingWage.org state on their website “An independent study examining the business benefits of implementing a Living Wage policy in London found that more than 80% of employers believe that the Living Wage had enhanced the quality of the work of their staff, while absenteeism had fallen by approximately 25%.
“Two thirds of employers reported a significant impact on recruitment and retention within their organisation. 70% of employers felt that the Living Wage had increased consumer awareness of their organisation’s commitment to be an ethical employer.
“Following the adoption of the Living Wage PwC found turnover of contractors fell from 4% to 1%.”
The move would see Arsenal continue to lead the way when it comes to equality and fair employment and hopefully it will force other clubs to follow suit.