Parking wardens in Birmingham get Living Wage
Parking wardens working on behalf of Birmingham City Council are the latest to have their pay increased to ensure they receive a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.
A group of 55 parking wardens had their pay elevated by 20 per cent from £6.50 per hour to the national Living Wage - currently £7.85 per hour - on February 1 after the council awarded its latest contract for parking enforcement services to NSL.
Under the council’s procurement policies, including the Birmingham Business Charter for Social Responsibility, any organisations seeking to obtain contracts with the council must now agree to pay the Living Wage (set independently and calculated according to the basic cost of living in the UK) as part of the agreed terms and conditions.
Following an extensive open tender process, considering price, quality, and social value, NSL was selected for the five-year partnership, maintaining a relationship with the council that goes back to 2008.
Under the terms of the agreed Business Charter action plan, NSL will develop recruitment initiatives focused on those from workless backgrounds, offer work experience placements in roles not on-street, and will also sponsor a school road safety programme amongst other things.
Cllr Stewart Stacey, Cabinet Member for Commissioning, Contracting and Improvement, said: “The Living Wage should be paid to everyone in employment to ensure they and their families can achieve an acceptable standard of life.
“I can think of no group of workers that are more deserving than our parking wardens. They help keep the city’s roads clear of obstruction in challenging circumstances - working at all times of the day, in all weather, sometimes facing the wrath of motorists when they are going about their essential work.
“The awarding of this contract shows we are trying to do everything within our powers as a council to make a positive difference to the lives of Brummies, and I look forward to a successful working relationship with our partners at NSL.”
Graham Williams, NSL’s Commercial Director, said: “We are very pleased to be continuing our partnership with Birmingham, helping to keep parking fair and safe for all, and we are delighted to be paying our Birmingham colleagues the national living wage, thereby supporting the council’s own objectives, as well as honouring the Birmingham Business Charter for Social Responsibility; it’s good for our colleagues, and it’s good for Birmingham.
“And it’s very good for NSL - we are a people business, and we view our colleagues as our greatest asset and also invest heavily in the parking profession’s best training and ongoing development programme.”
ENDS
A photograph to accompany this press release is available to download here.
Notes to editors
The Living Wage - what is it?
- An hourly rate set independently and updated annually
- The Living Wage is calculated according to the basic cost of living in the UK
- The current UK Living Wage is £7.85 an hour
- The current London Living Wage is £9.15 an hour
- Employers choose to pay the Living Wage on a voluntary basis
- The Living Wage enjoys cross party support, with public backing from the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition
- Paying the Living Wage is good for business, good for the individual and good for society
- The Living Wage Employer Mark and Service Provider Recognition Scheme provide an ethical badge for responsible pay
For more media information please contact Kris Kowalewski on 0121 303 3621
