Brentford FC Becomes a London Living Wage Employer |
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Club is last Premier League side in the capital to join the scheme
September 21, 2023 Brentford FC has announced that its is officially a London Living Wage employer. This means that all its staff and those at key sub-contractors will be paid at least £11.95 which is above the government mandated national minimum wage. It has been aiming to pay the higher rate since was promoted to the Premier League in 2021 but has only now become an accredited Living Wage Employer. The London Living Wage is championed by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. The club is the last of the Premier League teams in London to have signed up for the scheme although Arsenal was only accredited earlier this year. Many clubs outside the capital are also officially Living Wage Employers but some, such as Manchester United are not members of the scheme. The club’s top paid players reportedly include Ben Mee on £55,000 a week and Rico Henry on £50,000 a week. Brentford FC says that by adopting this wage standard, the club is taking a significant step towards reducing income inequality and promoting a healthier work-life balance for its employees. This includes all direct employees and those employees who work for all its key service suppliers, for example cleaning, stewarding and security. Over 2,500 employers in the capital are estimated to be signed up to the London Living Wage. Brentford’s chief executive, Jon Varney said, "We are proud to join the ranks of responsible employers in London who are committed to paying their staff a wage that allows them to lead a decent life in the capital. “Our staff are at the heart of what we do, and we’re well aware of the impact financial difficulties can have on our employees particularly with the current costs of living. This step reinforces our desire for creating a positive and supportive environment for Brentford staff to thrive and in turn provide excellent fan engagement and experiences at our stadium.” The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said, “I’m thrilled that Brentford FC has officially become a living wage employer, marking a positive step forward in making London a Living Wage City. “London is the best city in the world, but with many hardworking Londoners still struggling to make ends meet with the cost-of-living crisis, it is only right that more employers are committing themselves to paying a fair and decent wage to their staff. I’m extremely proud that since I became Mayor, the number of accredited London Living Wage employers has increased five-fold, and I’m determined to keep up this momentum in reducing income equality, helping to build a better, fairer, more prosperous London for everyone.”
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