News / Bristol Ferry Boats
Bristol Ferry Boats to adopt Real Living Wage
Bristol Ferry Boat bosses have said they want to demonstrate a commitment to their employees by adopting the Real Living Wage.
The community-owned company will pay staff a minimum of £12 per hour, adjusted to match the rising cost of living, and exceeding the national rate set by the government of £10.42 for people over the age of 21, which goes up to £11.44 in April, and £5.28 for under 18s.
By adopting this policy, Bristol Ferry Boat bosses aim to ensure that their workforce can afford a decent standard of living during a cost-of-living crisis and also hope to attract new talent.
Carrie Browne, co-director at Bristol Ferry Boats, said: “As a Community Benefit Society, our enthusiastic and knowledgeable crew are the heart of our operations, engaging customers in local history and attractions, we believe that all crew have the right to the Real Living Wage at entry level into the organisation.”
The South West region contains more than a tenth (11.1 per cent) of all jobs paying less than the Real Living Wage – around 258,000 jobs – and Bristol Ferry Boat bosses said they want to emphasise their commitment to the loyalty, adherence, and dedication shown by their employees.
The employees of the ferry company will receive the Real Living Wage of a minimum of £12 per hour, adjusted to match the rising cost of living – photo: Bristol Ferry Boats
Charly Wood, a crew member, said: “With the rising housing costs in Bristol over the last 12 months, this wage improvement allows me to continue living in this beautiful city and working on the harbourside.”
On this announcement, Katherine Chapman, director at Living Wage Foundation stated: “We are delighted that Bristol Ferry Boats has joined the movement of over 14,000 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 which recognise that paying the real Living Wage is the mark of a responsible employer and they, like Bristol Ferry Boats, believe that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.”
The Real Living Wage, calculated according to the costs of living, provides a voluntary benchmark for employers to ensure staff earn a wage they can live on. Since its creation, the Living Wage movement has been accredited for providing a pay rise to over 360,000 people – equivalent to £3bn extra into the pockets of low paid workers.
In a move to increase its operations company has also announced new employment opportunities – photo: Bristol Ferry Boats
Bristol Ferry Boat bosses are now looking for people to become a part of their team. With no boating experience necessary, they are seeking confident, engaging applicants who enjoy working outdoors and have a passion to learn and share local harbour history.
Browne added: “With a history of operating Bristol’s waterways for over 50 years with, we invite you to become part of our present, and to join us in providing an outstanding transportation, education, and leisure service to our city.”
Main photo: Martin Booth
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