The Elliot Foundation is the latest multi-academy trust to announce that it will pay the living wage as a minimum to its lowest-paid employees.
UNISON has welcomed the board’s decision to implement the living wage from the new school term in September 2014. The decision will benefit staff in the 16 primary schools currently in the Elliot Foundation family, across London, East Anglia and the West Midlands.
UNISON National Officer Joanna Coates said: “We welcome the Elliot Foundation’s first step towards becoming a living wage employer by paying directly-employed staff the living wage.
“We’re pleased that the Elliot Foundation will consider moving towards full accreditation as a living wage employer in due course, making payment of the living wage a condition of any existing contracts when they come up for renewal.”
“We hope that the Elliot Foundation’s decision will influence other multi-academy trusts to make the right decision for school support staff to raise the minimum pay rate to the living wage, as UNISON and fellow trade unions have long argued for.”
Bob Anderson, Director of HR at the Elliot Foundation, said: “Implementing the living wage was an easy decision for the trust board to make. We value all our staff and are pleased that they will all be paid at, or above, the living wage.”
UNISON will continue its campaign for all councils, schools and multi-academy trusts to become accredited living wage employers.
The Living Wage is £8.80 in London and £7.65 in the rest of the UK.
