In an email to City of London Labour Party secretary on 12 October, Sir Nicholas wrote: “Front of House casual workers’ pay rates were reviewed earlier this year, taking into account the rates paid in comparable venues. Our hosts, who are not employees, make up the Barbican’s largest group of front of house casual workers, and their pay rate has increased by 8% to £7.45 (including an element to cover statutory holiday pay). ”
Securing a London Living Wage for City of London employees was a key pledge of Labour Party candidates for the City of London Common Council elections last year. Barbican Centre staff are effectively City of London employees. The main credit for securing this improvement in pay goes to the GMB union, which represents most City employees.
The local Labour Party branch is now seeking public endorsement of the London Living Wage by the Corporation to encourage all City-based businesses, as Glasgow City Council recently did to strengthen its Living Wage policy.
The concept of a living wage is likely to feature in Labour Party election commitments in local election manifestos in 2010 as a means of accelerating Labour's progress to reduce wage and child poverty.
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