The Archbishop of Canterbury has admitted he was “embarrassed” by revelations that some jobs within the Church of England paid employees less than the Living Wage – less than a week after House of Bishops called on employers to adopt the higher benchmark salary.
Archbishop Justin Welby was responding to an allegation in The Sun newspaper that Canterbury and Litchfield Cathedrals were advertising roles that paid below the Living Wage.
The bishops’ 52-page pastoral letter ahead of the General Election last week described the Living Wage as “a modest hourly rate that is sufficient for a full time worker to live decently” and that “represents the basic principle that people are not commodities and that their lives cannot adapt infinitely in response to market pressures.”
Archbishop Welby told delegates at a conference on chaplaincy in Birmingham today that the Church of England was “moving towards” adopting the Living Wage, which at £7.85 per hour outside London is higher than the legal Minimum Wage.
He said that every diocese, church and cathedral was an independent charity, and needed to make the move individually and gradually, according to their resources.
"It's embarrassing, of course, I won't say otherwise,” he admitted. "But in the light of transparency, which I welcome, I will say we are a complex institution and every parish church and cathedral is an independent charity, as is every diocese.
“We don't have a centralised method of control. I'm not very keen on centralised control where, from far away, you tell people what to do."
Earlier a spokesman for the Church thanked The Sun for highlighting the “sound principles” behind the Minimum Wage and enabling the CofE to reiterate its commitment to it.
"The vast majority of those employed by or sub-contracted to the Church's central institutions are already paid at least the Living Wage and all will be by April 2017,” he added.
Loading ...
