Riding the wage! Chelsea become first Premier League Living Wage employer

Posted Friday, December 12, 2014 by Dailystar.co.uk

CHELSEA have become the first English football club to splash out for ALL of its staff members to earn the current Living Wage.

The Premier League high-fliers are now offering workers a generous rate of £9.15 an hour, compared to the national minimum wage of £6.50 an hour.

The club will be accredited as a Living Wage employer next month, joining the likes of Barclays, ITV and Oxfam.

Chelsea Chairman Bruce Buck said: "As a responsible employer we are proud of this significant achievement for the club.

"We believe the move to the Living Wage underlines our commitment to ensuring that all our employees receive a fair rate of pay for their hard work and dedication.

"Quite simply it is the right thing to do."

Mr Buck is now hoping to branch out the living wage rate to agency employees who do not meet the criteria by 2017.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said the club is doing the right thing to reward "a hard day's work with a fair day's pay".

He said: "Our great football teams are household names around the world, their every action is scrutinised in microscopic detail and by becoming the first professional sports team to commit to pay the London Living Wage Chelsea are setting the right example.

"They realise their team is more than just the 11 men out on the pitch, and that by putting more pounds in the pockets of their staff they are signing up to a win-win scenario."

Riding the wage! Chelsea become first Premier League Living Wage employer
GENEROUS: Chelsea Chairman Bruce Buck says everyone at the club deserves a fair rate of pay

Chelsea, who are rumoured to pay out a whopping £176million on wages each year, have been joined by Scottish Championship side Hearts as a Living Wage employer.

Struggling Hearts were relegated last year from the Scottish Premiership after being deducted points for entering administration.

The club exited administration in June and officials at the club believe becoming a Living Wage employer is another step forward to returning to the top flight in Scotland.

A spokesman said: "The club feels that implementing the living wage is entirely in keeping with the values that we hold dear as Edinburgh’s oldest football club.

"Since revealing our intention to implement the living wage the club has received widespread backing from both our supporters and sponsors.”

Living Wage Foundation Director, Rhys Moore said: "We are delighted that more than 1,000 organisations are now accredited Living Wage employers, and we see Chelsea’s leadership on this issue as a mark of a responsible business."

Riding the wage! Chelsea become first Premier League Living Wage employer
MONEYS: Chelsea have become the first club to become a Living Wage employer