Everton have joined Chelsea in becoming only the second Premier League club to commit to the national 'Living Wage' scheme that sees employers pay staff higher salaries that are more in line with the real cost of living.
Signing up with the 'Living Wage Foundation', the Toffees will soon be paying all club staff at least the specified 'living wage' (£8.45 per hour, exclusive of London) which is significantly higher than the current national minimum wage.
Everton become second Premier League club to agree to pay living wage to all staff, including contractors and temps. https://t.co/7KnXYBMVcQ
Astatementreleased on Monday morning further explained, "Becoming a Living Wage employer will see the club, over the next three years, ensure that over 700 contractors working for Everton will receive a pay rise amounting up to as much as an additional £2,000 a year.
"In addition to this, 250 casual and/or matchday staff have had a pay rise as a result of Everton becoming an accredited Living Wage employer."
Katherine Chapman, Director of the Living Wage Foundation, told EvertonFC.com, "By putting more pounds in the pockets of their staff, Everton are signing up to a win-win scenario that rewards a hard day's work with a fair day's pay. I congratulate Everton and hope other football clubs will take their lead and follow suit."
Around the same time as the announcement from Goodison Park, Chelsea also confirmed their continued commitment to the scheme to kick off 'Living Wage Week'.
A Chelseastatementread, "By 1 January 2017 all members of staff directly employed by Chelsea will earn at least £9.75 an hour, while those working outside of London will receive a minimum of £8.45 an hour, with the process of ensuring that staff of external contractors and additional agency staff on our sites will get the same rate of pay set to be completed by 1 July 2017."
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