TUC welcomes move to amend Localism Bill

Jack Dromey MP

Welcoming the move from the opposition front bench to table amendments today (Tuesday) to the Localism Bill that would highlight the issue of low pay in local authorities and in companies bidding for contracts to run local services, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: “Jack Dromey’s amendment would shine a spotlight on the growing gap between the pay of top council executives and the lowest paid workers employed by local authorities.
“If councils have to make public the amounts they are paying staff at the bottom of the pay ladder and where in the council these workers are based, it may make them less keen to pay poverty wages.
“Requiring private firms who bid for council contracts worth more than £250,000 to divulge the pay ratio between their highest and lowest pay staff might also encourage salary restraint for company directors. It would also increase the pressure on both local councils and the firms they work with to pay a decent wage to all their employees.”