National Express : commits to becoming a Living Wage employer in the UK

National Express is the first private transport group to make the commitment

National Express has today committed to become an accredited Living Wage employer in the UK, the first private transport group to do so.

The pledge will benefit hundreds of workers across its UK bus, coach and rail businesses.

National Express' largest UK business, its bus division, will lead the way and become the first to be an accredited Living Wage employer, from January 2016. The UK coach and rail businesses will follow by the end of 2017.

The company's pledge to ensure that all members of staff earn a Living Wage has been welcomed by senior politicians across the political spectrum.

Patrick McLoughlin MP, Secretary of State for Transport said:

"I welcome National Express' decision to become a Living Wage employer. This important step will have a real impact and demonstrates the success of our transport sector. National Express plays a vital role in helping people go about their daily business."

Ed Miliband MP, Leader of the Opposition, said:

"The announcement that National Express will become a living wage employer is fantastic news for their employees and an example of courage and leadership in the business community. We will support more firms to make this move with a tax break for those that do so in the first year of a Labour Government."

Dean Finch, Group Chief Executive of National Express, said: 

"Our staff do a great job helping hundreds of thousands of people get to work and school and to see their family and friends every day. We are always looking at what more we can do to recognise this hard work and committing to become a Living Wage employer in the UK testifies to our determination to be the best possible employer."

Rhys Moore, Director, Living Wage Foundation said:

"It's fantastic news that National Express has committed to accrediting as a Living Wage employer and we look forward to working with them as they roll out the Living Wage to their directly employed team, and their contracted staff, across their bus, coach and rail businesses.

"Over 1,200 organisations are now accredited Living Wage employers across the UK. National Express will be the first private transport group to accredit, and we hope their announcement today and the leadership that they are showing, will lay down a marker in the transport sector.

"We hope that more well-known brands, and increasingly their customers, will see the benefits of the Living Wage in their communities.

"The Living Wage is a robust calculation that reflects the real cost of living, rewarding a hard day's work with a fair day's pay."

Notes:
The Living Wage is currently £9.15 an hour in London and £7.85 an hour across the rest of the UK, compared to the national minimum wage of £6.50.

More information on the Living Wage can be found here.

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