Mayor of London Boris Johnson today came under pressure on his record in rolling out the London Living Wage (LLW). At the current rate it will take 450 years for all low paid workers in London to receive the LLW. At today’s Mayor’s Question Boris was called on to accelerate the roll out of the LLW and for London to become a full Living Wage Zone.
Boris also faced questions on the cost of living crisis that is hitting people, including the impact on BME Londoners; Boris’ fare rises; the use of Zero-Hours contracts; the cost of childcare; food poverty and rising energy prices.
In Newham private rents went up by 4.9% from October 2011 to September 2012, which amounts to £527 a year, whilst the average change in wages have decreased
Local Labour London Assembly Member John Biggs said:
“Londoners are struggling with a cost of living crisis with rents, food, fuel, childcare and fares outstripping wages. In Newham, residents renting privately have seen rents go up by almost 5% per cent from October 2011 to September 2012. That works out as an extra £10 per week whilst average wages have decreased.
“It is time the Mayor used his position and accelerated the expansion of the London Living Wage. At the current rate it will take nearly 450 years for all low paid Londoners to receive a living wage, I do not want to live in a city where people are forced to survive on poverty pay. If employers paid a living wage it would save the taxpayer money on the benefits bill, it would provide a boost to the London economy and allow people to live and not merely survive.”
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