The distributor Oprema has been accredited as a Living Wage Employer. That will see everyone working at Oprema receive a minimum hourly wage of £9 in the UK or £10.55 in London. Both rates are significantly higher than the government minimum for over 25s, which stands at £7.83 per hour.
Oprema is based in Wales, a region with one of the highest proportions of non-Living Wage jobs in the country (24 per cent), with around 268,000 jobs paying less than the real Living Wage. Despite this, the company has committed to pay the real Living Wage and deliver a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work.
The real Living Wage is the only rate calculated according to the costs of living. It provides a voluntary benchmark for employers that wish to ensure their staff earn a wage they can live on, not just the government minimum. Since 2011 the Living Wage movement has delivered a pay rise to over 160,000 people and put over £800m extra into the pockets of low paid workers.
Matthew Epps, Managing Director at Oprema said: “Here at Oprema we are thrilled to be recognised as a Living Wage Employer. We are proud to have achieved this accreditation and are to be able to share the news. As a growing company, we will continue to be a Living Wage Employer in South Wales.”
Tess Lanning, Director, Living Wage Foundation said: “We’re delighted that Oprema has joined the movement of over 4,700 responsible employers across the UK who voluntarily commit to go further than the government minimum to make sure all their staff earn enough to live on.
“They join thousands of small businesses, as well as household names such as IKEA, Heathrow Airport, Barclays, Chelsea and Everton Football Clubs and many more. These businesses recognise that paying the real Living Wage is the mark of a responsible employer and they, like Oprema, believe that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.”
For more about the Living Wage Foundation visit https://www.livingwage.org.uk.
Photo by Huw John, Cardiff
