Plan for all jobs in Greater Manchester to pay UK Living Wage
Mayor Andy Burnham said the region is "calling time on insecure and low-paid jobs" - with a strategy for all local roles to pay wages that meet the cost of living.
Mayor Andy Burnham has announced plans to turn Greater Manchester into the first city-region where every job pays workers the UK Living Wage.
The real Living Wage is based on the cost of living – and currently stands at £9.50.
Around 1 in 5 jobs in Greater Manchester (roughly 200,000) pay less than this rate, and six local boroughs – Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Trafford and Wigan – all rank below the UK average for roles that pay the Living Wage.
Statistics provided by the GMCA also show that 38.2% of black/black British workers and 34.8% of Asian/Asian British workers in Greater Manchester are in low pay (compared with 23.8% of white workers), whilst 59.5% of employees who earn less than the Living Wage are women.
Burnham arranged the first meeting of the new Living Wage City-Region Action Group this week – which will work with businesses, unions, local authorities, faith groups and charities to ensure all employers in the city-region pay the Living Wage by 2030.
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Mayor Andy Burnham said that offering the Living Wage for all workers “is what levelling up looks like”
The mayor said: “Paying a real living wage isn’t just the right thing to do for workers – it’s the right thing for businesses too.
“People already in low-paying jobs with unpredictable hours were left exposed to the worst effects of the pandemic, on their health and on their livelihoods.
“Now, Greater Manchester is calling time on insecure and low-paid jobs.
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He added: “This is the first step towards a making sure everyone working in Greater Manchester has the dignity of decent work, paid a real living wage for real living hours.
“This is what levelling-up looks like.”
Chairperson of the action group Lou Cordwell said there is also a “strong business case for paying employees the real living wage.”
Cordwell stated: “Businesses in Greater Manchester increasingly recognise that they have a social responsibility, beyond simply making a profit.
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“By paying a real living wage they can make a genuine and positive impact on their community.
“Organisations that have made the commitment benefit from more motivated employees, enjoy a reputational boost, and find it easier to attract and retain staff.”
The Living Wage announcement is another big pledge made by Burnham during his first week since re-election – having already unveiled plans for a new regional transport network that will connect trams and buses whilst expanding the Metrolink.
Featured image: Mangopear Creative / Unsplash
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No trams to run on three major Greater Manchester lines this Easter bank holiday weekend
Emily Sergeant
People are being urged to ‘plan ahead’ as no trams are set to run on three major Greater Manchester Metrolink lines this weekend.
As part of a continuing £150 million investment in the Metrolink network across the region, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has announced that more than 1km of track will be replaced on the Altrincham line, and work will also take place between Trafford Bar and Deansgate-Castlefield to prepare for full track replacement later in the year.
As a result, there will be no trams on the Altrincham, Eccles, and Trafford Park lines this Easter bank holiday weekend all day from Friday 3 to Monday 6 April.
On top of these line closures, there is also set to be disruption across other parts of the network too, as on the East Didsbury and Manchester Airport lines, trams will run to Firswood only, and services on the Rochdale line will terminate at Exchange Square.
To keep people moving over the four-day weekend, replacement buses will run between all the affected stops, TfGM has confirmed.
Anyone using a replacement bus, however, will still need a valid Metrolink ticket or a one-day Bee bus ticket to travel, and customers will be able to use all existing options to buy these, as they will not be able to buy a ticket or pay for the fare on the replacement buses themselves.
No trams will be running on three major Greater Manchester lines this Easter bank holiday weekend / Credit: TfGM
Replacement buses are said to be calling at ‘all affected stops’ along the lines, so customers are being told not to worry about that.
Speaking ahead of the improvement works being carried out this weekend, Ian Davies, who is the Network Director for Metrolink at TfGM, said: “The first main upgrades of the year get under way over the Easter weekend, as our £150m programme to improve our network continues.
“We’ll be doing everything we can to minimise disruption to passengers while we carry out this essential work to ensure our tram network remains reliable, resilient and safe for years to come.”
TfGM has assured that staff will be out and on-hand across the network this weekend, but is urging anyone travelling to plan for their journeys ahead of time to make sure they go as smoothly as possible.
Looking ahead to the rest of the month, no trams will run between Piccadilly Gardens and Ashton-under-Lyne on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 April while the track is repaired, and a further weekend closure for track repairs on the Ashton line will take place on Saturday 25 April and Sunday 26 April.
Find out more and plan ahead on the Bee Network’s dedicated webpage here.
Featured Image – Janus Boye
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Three men arrested after ‘shocking’ Salford pub fight leaves victim in life-threatening condition
Emily Sergeant
Three men have been arrested as police continue to appeal following a ‘shocking’ incident in Salford over the weekend.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained that, at around 2:51am yesterday (Sunday 29 March), officers were called to reports of an assault at a pub on Liverpool Road in Irlam, where it’s understood that an incident involving several males took place.
Police quickly attended the scene, and one male was rushed to hospital.
The man sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment, where he’s said to remain in a life-threatening condition.
While officers are working ‘at speed’ on their investigation to establish the full circumstances of this incident, a scene is currently in place, and road closures are affecting the immediate area.
At this time, it has been confirmed that three men – all in their 20s – have been arrested on suspicion of Section 18 assault, and they remain in custody for further questioning while GMP renews its public appeal for information.
“This is a shocking incident and our thoughts are firmly with the victim and his family during this extremely difficult time,” commented Detective Chief Inspector Helen Bagnall, from GMP’s Salford district. “We are working at pace and remain absolutely committed to identifying everyone involved and bringing those responsible to justice.
“Three arrests have been made in connection with this incident, and we are continuing to appeal for further information.
“Officers remain committed to understand the full circumstances and are urging anyone with information to come forward to support our investigation.”
Can you help? A dedicated online Major Incident Public Portal has been set up, and information, CCTV, dashcam, doorbell, and phone images and footage can be submitted here, or you can also contact police on 101, quoting log 256 of 29/03/26.
Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
The Manc -
14th May 2021 
