We Scots have a reputation for being canny with our cash but some folk have more reason to do so than others. There’s lots of talk about how we need to “make work pay” from politicians and others but the truth is, for many folk on the lowest wages, what they are paid isn’t enough to live on. Even with the minimum wage ( £6.08 an hour – if you are over 21!) there are folk in full time employment who can only make ends meet with overtime (sometime with lots of it) and in these tough times there’s not much of that about. Either way, long hours on little money means these folks quality of life is serious damaged.
There is a debate tomorrow in the Scottish Parliament about what’s called Living Wage. That is a campaign to get employers to pay a rate (calculated to be at least £7.20 an hour in Scotland) that will mean folk can do more than survive with what’s in their wage packet. You can read the details of how it is worked out at http://www.livingwage.org.uk It is a campaign the Church backs wholeheartedly.
Much of Scottish politics these days is focused on the upcoming referendum. Long before that is decided, I’d like to see our politicians doing what it takes to make sure that no Scottish worker earns less than the living wage. That’s the kind of Scotland I want to live in, independent country or otherwise, one where we care not just about our own cash, but that others have enough cash to live and not just survive.
More details on how to follow tomorrows debate at : http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/scotland/newsid_9700000/9700088.stmt
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