More than a third of jobs in some parts of Teesside pay less than the living wage

More than a third of jobs in some parts of Teesside pay less than the living wage, it has been revealed today.

The parliamentary constituency of Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland tops the list of living wage blackspots in the North-east with 36% of the jobs based there paying less than the living wage.

Labour MP Tom Blenkinsop, who represents Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, said he was “not surprised” by the figures and said it was time to invest in skilled jobs in the region.

Second in the blackspot list is Hartlepool (34.7%), followed by Berwick-upon-Tweed (33.4%).

TUC has revealed at the start of the second week of the TUC’s Fair Pay Fortnight its analysis of official figures from the House of Commons Library that shows that nationally one in five jobs pays under the living wage - currently set at £9.15 in London and £7.85 across the rest of Britain.

Across the country, more than five million people get paid less than the living wage.

For working women the picture is even bleaker. In Hartlepool almost half (46.7%) of jobs pay less than the living wage, followed by Redcar (45.1%) and Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland (44.8%).

In some parts of the North-east there are higher paying areas where workers fare better. In Gateshead just 13.8% of jobs pay less than the living wage, followed by Newcastle upon Tyne East (14.9 %) and North Tyneside (18.6%) whereas in Teesside, in Stockton North 20.4% receive less than the living wage.

Northern TUC regional secretary Beth Farhat said: “These figures show that huge numbers of working people in the North-east are struggling to bring home a wage they can live off. Extending the living wage is a vital step towards tackling the growing problem of in-work poverty in parts of the North East - and Britain as a whole.

“Working families have experienced the biggest squeeze on their living standards since Victorian times, and these living wage figures show that women are disproportionately affected. Pay has been squeezed at all levels below the boardroom, and the government’s mantra about ‘making work pay’ is completely out of touch with reality.

“The number of living wage employers is growing rapidly and unions are playing their part in encouraging more employers to sign up and pay it. But we need to see a far wider commitment to pay the living wage from government, employers and modern wages councils – to drive up productivity and set higher minimum rates in industries where employers can afford to pay their staff more.”

Mr Blenkinsop said: “In my constituency we have more private employers - which is a good thing - but the smaller employers don’t have the ability to take on the same amount of costs.

“I think zero contracts make up the lion’s share of the problem.

“We need to have a bigger effective economy, upscaling the economy in general.

“It’s not just about getting people into employment but getting people into skilled jobs where they get paid higher wages to increase the tax base.”