Peoples Agenda profile 6: Ritzy Living Wage campaign

‘We know from experience though that in the end workers need to organise themselves to win these basic rights and others, that is the only answer.’

We, as workers at The Ritzy Cinema, took 13 days of strike action last year over 5 months in our struggle with our employer Picturehouse Cinemas for the London Living Wage, eventually securing a 26% pay rise over three years.

The current National Minimum Wage is £6.50ph. The Living Wage is £7.85 an hour outside London and £9.15 and hour in London. This gulf between the legally enforceable Minimum Wage and the actual rate people need to have a basic, decent standard of living is scandalous.

Politicians and business people regularly appear on television to stress that they support the Living Wage but only as a voluntary scheme. Low paid workers are tired of being told to put up with poverty pay by people who earn 10 times the Living Wage or more.

The National Minimum Wage should be set at the level of the Living Wage by law, this is a basic human right. It is also makes sound economic sense: low paid workers pay taxes which support public services and spend their money which stimulates economic activity. The rich move their money off shore and hoard it.

We know from experience though that in the end workers need to organise themselves to win these basic rights and others, that is the only answer.

To find out more visit: @ritzylivingwage

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