News
Friday, July 2, 2010
West Coast LEAF a Living Wage Employer
West Coast LEAF has been approved as a Living Wage Employer by A Living Wage for Families Campaign. The Campaign calls on public and private sector employers in Vancouver to pay a living wage to employees and contractors. The living wage calculation reflects basic costs of living for a family of four in Metro Vancouver with two young children and both parents working full-time.
Living Wage Employers are held accountable to their employees and A Living Wage for Family Campaign. Every year the living wage is recalculated to take account of cost of living and government tax/benefits changes. At the start of May, the living wage for Metro Vancouver was recalculated to be $18.17.
Living Wage Employers must be recertified every two years based on the existing living wage figure at that time. The recertification process ensures that Living Wage Employers adjust wage policies in accordance with increasing costs of living.
This spring, the City of New Westminster passed the first-ever living wage policy in Canada. New Westminster joins over 140 US cities and many British cities that have adopted living wage bylaws. The Living Wage concept is receiving attention by policy makers as an effective anti-poverty tool. For example, the US Federal Government is considering using it as part of the criteria for awarding stimulus contracts and it was included in the election manifesto of the ruling Labour party in the most recent British general election campaign.
Paying a living wage constitutes a critical investment in the long-term prosperity of the economy by fostering a dedicated, skilled and healthy workforce. For full details, download the Working for a Living Wage: 2010 Update.
West Coast LEAF is proud to be a Living Wage Employer, and encourages public and private sector employers to apply and take responsibility for decreasing poverty by providing employees a living wage.
