Warwickshire County Cricket Club addresses cost of living by becoming the first cricket club in the UK to be accredited as a Real Living Wage Employer.
As part of its ongoing commitment to supporting its staff, Warwickshire is leading the way in the region, and the UK, as the first cricket club to pay the real Living Wage.
The Living Wage commitment will see all directly employed staff and contractors at the Club receive a minimum hourly wage of £9.90, significantly higher than the government minimum for adults aged over 23, which currently stands at £9.50 per hour.
As a result of the accreditation, more than 180 regular staff who work at Edgbaston for the Club, or for partners G4S and Compass, have now moved to the real Living Wage rate, with further casual staff benefiting from the increase also.
Stuart Cain, Chief Executive, said: “Giving local people the chance to earn a decent wage is important if we want to help support the communities we serve. So, we’re delighted to be named as a Real Living Wage employer. I think we’re the first professional sports club in the West Midlands, and the first cricket club in the UK to make this commitment.
“We don’t function without our people, so we’re trying to do what we can to support them through the cost of living crisis. It’s the least they deserve for their effort and dedication. I know that all businesses are under financial pressure, but just wish more employees would sign up across the region so that anyone working in the West Midlands and Warwickshire stands a fighting chance of earning a fair wage.”
In the West Midlands region, almost a fifth of all workers (19.3%) earn less than they need to earn to get by, with around 434,000 jobs paying less than the real Living Wage.
The real Living Wage is calculated annually and based on the actual cost of living as defined by the Living Wage Foundation. Since 2011, the Living Wage movement has delivered a pay rise to over 300,000 people.
Katherine Chapman, Director, Living Wage Foundation, said: “We’re delighted that Warwickshire County Cricket Club has joined the movement of almost 9,000 responsible employers across the UK who voluntarily commit to go further than the government minimum to make sure all their staff earn enough to live on.
“They join thousands of small businesses, as well as household names such as Burberry, Barclays, Everton Football Club and many more. These businesses recognise that paying the real Living Wage is the mark of a responsible employer and they, like Warwickshire County Cricket Club, believe that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.”
