Trade Unions and the Real Living Wage

Abstract This chapter examines the variable response of trade unions to the Living Wage campaign. Unions have supported the campaign to a degree, and the chapter presents the case of UNISON North-West, which has affiliated to Citizens UK and which formed a union-community coalition to promote the Living Wage. The focus of this effort has been social care, with the union using the campaign to organize care workers. Elsewhere, unions have been suspicious of the campaign and both have remained aloof and developed their own, alternative living wage standard. The most common union response is labelled ‘appropriation’, in which unions have kept their distance from the campaign but have included the Living Wage in collective bargaining activity. In some cases, this has led to strikes over the Living Wage. The effect of appropriation has been to spread the standard further, generating a ‘shadow’ Living Wage beyond the ranks of accredited employers.