Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 18th April 2024 Issue no. 1110
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Mrs Bucket becomes a Living Wage Employer
Commercial cleaning company Mrs Bucket has been certified by the Living Wage Foundation as an accredited Living Wage Employer, as part of its goal to become one of the foremost employers in the cleaning and facilities management industry.
The Swansea£headquartered firm has committed to paying its staff in line with rates set by the Living Wage Foundation, the only UK wage rate that is voluntarily paid and based on meeting UK living costs.
The award£winning cleaning company, which employs over 330 people across south Wales and south£west England, joins over 9,000 other UK businesses that have received accreditation.
The Living Wage Foundation currently sets the Real Living Wage at an hourly rate of £9.90 across the UK and £11.05 in London. The rates, which were independently calculated by the Living Wage Commission, sit above the Government's new National Living Wage of £9.50 for people aged 23 and over. The National Minimum Wage now sits at £9.18 for people aged 21 to 22, £6.83 for those aged 18 to 20, and £4.81 for anyone under the age of 18.
Mrs Bucket has recently taken on a new head of people, Kate Ablett, to drive forward the company's ambitious plans to shape the employee experience to ensure that their staff feel valued and supported at all levels.
"With the cost of living increasing and set to rise even further in the coming months, we're acutely aware of the responsibility we have as an employer to ensure that our team are paid a fair wage that reflects the times that we are living in," says Kate.
"We're really pleased to receive our accreditation and stand strongly by our commitment to continuing as a Living Wage Employer."
Rachael Flanagan, CEO of Mrs Bucket, adds: "The success of our company is built on the hard work of our dedicated team, which is why we feel so strongly that in return we should offer them stability and competitive pay. It is certainly the right thing to do, and we're proud of our commitment to go beyond the government minimum and pay our people a Real Living Wage.
"While we recognise the importance of this step, it will have an impact on our business as a whole, and with costs increasing across the board, it is likely that our prices will have to increase accordingly.
"However, there is a long held public perception that cleaning is a low paid job and we are keen to move away from this image. Throughout the pandemic, cleaners worked round the clock, despite not being given key worker status in line with other professions, and we believe that they should be recognised for their hard work.
"Becoming a Living Wage Employer and joining the impressive list of other business to receive this accreditation is a really proud moment for us and one that will hopefully cement our place as the employer of choice in the cleaning and facilities management industry."
14th April 2022