Over 800 thousand employment positions in London categorized as insecure
In the heart of the UK, a significant movement is underway to address the challenges of low pay and insecure work. The UK's largest people-powered campaign group, Citizens UK, has launched the Making London a Living Wage City project [1].
This ambitious initiative aims to put over £635 million back into the pockets of low-paid workers and ensure at least 10,000 workers in London benefit from the security of Living Hours. By accrediting businesses as Living Wage and Living Hours Employers, the project seeks to transform the city's labour landscape [1].
London, it seems, is grappling with a high number of insecure jobs. The Living Wage Foundation's report reveals that London has the highest number of insecure jobs in the UK, with 800,000 falling into this category [1]. The analysis from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) shows that workers in London are more likely to have jobs with variable working hours or shift work compared to the rest of the UK (64% vs 54%) [1].
The current cost-of-living crisis is exacerbating the situation for low-paid workers in London. Gina Rodriguez, a former hospitality worker and a leader on the Making London a Living Wage City Steering Group, expresses her concern about this issue [1].
One individual who has experienced the challenges of insecure work is Michael, who previously worked in retail. He recounts working long hours without additional pay and struggling to adequately support his family [1]. However, Michael's life has changed for the better since he started working for Enabled Living, a council-owned company that is an accredited Living Wage and Living Hours Employer [1].
The proposed policies by Citizens UK and the Making London a Living Wage City project focus on securing stable, well-paid employment rather than insecure gigs or zero-hours contracts [1]. They advocate for eliminating zero-hours contracts and unpredictable gig work to provide workers with guaranteed, sufficient hours [1]. They also push for ensuring jobs pay at least the London Living Wage so that workers earn enough to cover basic living costs, including rent [1].
Furthermore, the proposals aim to provide workers with security and stability in hours and income to prevent poverty and homelessness linked to job insecurity and low wages [1]. These proposals are part of a broader strategy to tackle poverty and housing insecurity by reforming the labor market to guarantee sufficient, predictable employment rather than unstable, low-paying jobs common in retail, hospitality, and gig economy sectors [1].
Gina Rodriguez, deeply concerned about the issue of low pay and its impact on workers living in poverty, believes that these proposals are crucial steps towards making London a city where all workers can earn a living wage with dependable work that supports stable living conditions [1].
[1] Citizens UK. (2022). Making London a Living Wage City: A Step Towards Secure and Sufficient Work. Retrieved from www.citizensuk.org/making-london-a-living-wage-city
In the scope of this discussion, it's evident that politics and general-news are intertwined as the UK's largest people-powered campaign group, Citizens UK, proposes reforms to address the issue of low pay and insecure work in London, aiming to ensure 10,000 workers benefit from the Living Wage and Living Hours [1]. This initiative, the Making London a Living Wage City project, also seeks to transform London's labour landscape by advocating for the elimination of zero-hours contracts and unpredictable gig work [1].
