Living wage: Everton FC signs up

Everton FC has become the second Premier League side to pledge to pay its staff a real living wage.

The Liverpool-based club has been accredited by the Living Wage Foundation (LWF), which independently calculates a minimum wage that takes into account the cost of living.

Over the next three years around 1,000 Everton employees, including agency staff and contractors, will see their yearly pay packets increase by as much as ÂŁ2,000.

The club follows in the footsteps of London’s Chelsea FC, which until now was the only Premier League side to be accredited by the LWF.

The LWF calculated living wage for the UK is ÂŁ8.45 an hour – ÂŁ1.25 more than the legal minimum for over 25s – rising to ÂŁ9.75 in London.

While players can earn tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds per week, the match stewards, cleaners and hospitality staff at many football clubs earn just the legal minimum wage.

Despite the sport’s reputation for riches, only five football clubs – including Heart of Midlothian, Luton Town and Derby County – have LWF accreditation.

In August, Brighton Hove and Albion Football Club and Blackpool Football Club were both named and shamed by the government for paying employees less than the legal minimum wage.

Everton director, Prof Denise Barrett-Baxendale, said, “It is extremely important to us that we treat all of our colleagues well and reward people fairly in terms of their pay.

“Supporting the accredited living wage is quite simply the right thing to do; it improves our employees’ quality of life but also benefits our business and society as a whole.”

LWF director, Katherine Chapman, welcomed Everton’s decision to join the 3,000 other employers who have signed up to the living wage.

She said, “It is fantastic that Everton have become the second Premier League football club to sign up as a living wage employer, ensuring that all their staff – from caterers to match day staff – receive a real living wage that covers the cost of living.”

Head of Unite Community, Liane Groves, also praised Everton and called on other Premier League clubs to follow suit.

“Everton’s move to a Living Wage employer is to be lauded and should serve as a wake up to call to the rest of the Premier League.” Groves said.

She continued, “In an industry awash with millions and millions of pounds, surely it’s time clubs started paying those who help make everything run smoothly – regardless of whether they’re employed directly or not – enough money to survive on.

“The same goes for other employers, whom we urge to also adopt the living wage. One in five working people in this country do not earn enough of a wage to get by on.

“It’s time for employers that only pay the very minimum to open their eyes to the struggles of their workforces and start paying wages that cover the cost of living. Not only is it the right thing to do, it’s also good for the economy – which relies on people having some money to spare.”