Employment & Economy

SSE LIVING WAGE ANNOUNCEMENT A WELCOME MOVE

10/12/2015 NO REPRO FEE, MAXWELLS DUBLIN Pic Shows: (l to r) SSE Airtricity Managing Director Stephen Wheeler, An Tánaiste Joan Burton TD and Minister for Business and Employment Ged Nash TD. Energy utility SSE, today (thurs) announced that it will be the first large corporate business in Ireland to become a Living Wage employer – guaranteeing all its employees a Living Wage of at least €11.50 an hour from 1 January 2016. The announcement was made at a special event hosted at SSE’s Ireland HQ in Leopardstown, Co. Dublin, and was attended by An Tánaiste Joan Burton TD and Minister for Business and Employment Ged Nash TD. Almost 750 staff across SSE’s businesses in Ireland including SSE Airtricity – Ireland’s second largest energy provider – will receive at least the Living Wage rate. This rate, set at €11.50 an hour, is designed to ensure that people can cover their basic cost of living including housing, bills, food and work travel. In addition to being the first corporate in Ireland to voluntarily adopt the Living Wage, SSE is also the first major energy company here to sign-up to its introduction. PIC: NO FEE, MAXWELLPHOTOGRAPHY.IE Further information: Queries for SSE can be directed to Jason Cooke – 086 2646 710 / jason.cooke@sse.com Queries for Minister Nash can be directed to Deirdre Grant – 086 0484 279

Joan joined Minister for Business and Employment Ged Nash TD and energy company SSE at its headquarters in Dublin today as it announced it is to become a Living Wage employer.  This move guarantees that all of its employees will earn a Living Wage of at least €11.50 per hour from the 1st of January 2016.

SSE employs 750 staff across its businesses in Ireland.  Of these, 61 staff members or 8% will receive a pay increase on the 1st of January as a result of this decision.  

The Living Wage is an independently assessed and measured rate of income considered necessary to meet basic needs, such as housing, food, clothing, transport and healthcare.  The Living Wage Technical Group in Ireland has set the rate at €11.50 per hour.  

SSE is the first corporate in Ireland to voluntarily adopt the Living Wage, as well as the first energy company to do so.  

Welcoming the announcement, Joan said: “As we secure our economic recovery, we want to be sure that the jobs we have and the jobs we are helping to create are decent, sustainable jobs where workers earn enough money to look after themselves and their families.  The Living Wage Campaign does precisely that and I am very pleased that SSE is now joining the growing number of employers here who believe that everyone of its staff should share in our hard won recovery.”

10/12/2015 NO REPRO FEE, MAXWELLS DUBLIN Pic Shows: An Tánaiste Joan Burton TD speaking at the announcement. Energy utility SSE, today (thurs) announced that it will be the first large corporate business in Ireland to become a Living Wage employer – guaranteeing all its employees a Living Wage of at least €11.50 an hour from 1 January 2016. The announcement was made at a special event hosted at SSE’s Ireland HQ in Leopardstown, Co. Dublin, and was attended by An Tánaiste Joan Burton TD and Minister for Business and Employment Ged Nash TD. Almost 750 staff across SSE’s businesses in Ireland including SSE Airtricity – Ireland’s second largest energy provider – will receive at least the Living Wage rate. This rate, set at €11.50 an hour, is designed to ensure that people can cover their basic cost of living including housing, bills, food and work travel. In addition to being the first corporate in Ireland to voluntarily adopt the Living Wage, SSE is also the first major energy company here to sign-up to its introduction. PIC: NO FEE, MAXWELLPHOTOGRAPHY.IE Further information: Queries for SSE can be directed to Jason Cooke – 086 2646 710 / jason.cooke@sse.com Queries for Minister Nash can be directed to Deirdre Grant – 086 0484 279

 

Minister for Business and Employment Ged Nash TD said: “SSE has been a huge supporter of our efforts to introduce a Living Wage Campaign here in Ireland.  The company took part in the Forum on the Living Wage I held in Dublin Castle in September and I am delighted that it is showing its commitment to paying all of its staff a decent wage today.  The voluntary Living Wage campaign is gaining momentum and I would encourage other progressive employers to follow the lead SSE has demonstrated.”

SSE Airtricity Managing Director Stephen Wheeler said: “SSE is proud to become the first large corporate in Ireland to pay its employees the Living Wage.

“Today’s announcement demonstrates that we value the people who work for SSE very highly and that we’re willing to pay our people at a level which shows we mean it. It also shows that SSE is a company which is serious about making a difference. We believe it is a matter of basic fairness that people should be paid a wage which is enough to cover their living expenses.”

In September, Minister Nash hosted the first ever Living Wage Forum in Dublin Castle, bringing together business, trade unions, academics and civil society to discuss how to progress the campaign in Ireland.  SSE played a leading role in this Forum by outlining the company’s experience of helping to introduce a voluntary Living Wage campaign in the UK.  

10/12/2015 NO REPRO FEE, MAXWELLS DUBLIN Pic Shows: An Tánaiste Joan Burton TD speaking to staff member Nandar Farkas from SSE pictured with (l to r) Roy Baker: Head of Operations; SSE, SSE Airtricity Managing Director Stephen Wheeler and Minister for Business and Employment Ged Nash TD. Energy utility SSE, today (thurs) announced that it will be the first large corporate business in Ireland to become a Living Wage employer – guaranteeing all its employees a Living Wage of at least €11.50 an hour from 1 January 2016. The announcement was made at a special event hosted at SSE’s Ireland HQ in Leopardstown, Co. Dublin, and was attended by An Tánaiste Joan Burton TD and Minister for Business and Employment Ged Nash TD. Almost 750 staff across SSE’s businesses in Ireland including SSE Airtricity – Ireland’s second largest energy provider – will receive at least the Living Wage rate. This rate, set at €11.50 an hour, is designed to ensure that people can cover their basic cost of living including housing, bills, food and work travel. In addition to being the first corporate in Ireland to voluntarily adopt the Living Wage, SSE is also the first major energy company here to sign-up to its introduction. PIC: NO FEE, MAXWELLPHOTOGRAPHY.IE Further information: Queries for SSE can be directed to Jason Cooke – 086 2646 710 / jason.cooke@sse.com Queries for Minister Nash can be directed to Deirdre Grant – 086 0484 279