Sadiq Khan should make improving the quality of jobs in the capital “a central theme” of his forthcoming London Growth Plan in line with a cross-departmental national government mission with the same goal, according to the new report for a partnership of central and inner London local authorities.
Findings by Central London Forward, which represents eleven boroughs and the City of London Corporation and is chaired by Southwark Council leader Kieron Williams, include more Londoners than the national average believing they have “good opportunities for progression” in their jobs and having their skills fully utilised, but also being significantly more likely to work underpaid overtime than counterparts elsewhere.
Job satisfaction varies largely in line with pay levels, the report says, with 66 per cent of those earning above the level of the voluntary London Living Wage – currently £13.50 a hour – saying they are satisfied compared with 33 per cent saying they aren’t.
London has slightly higher levels of insecure work than the national average, affecting 331,000 people, and the number of workers on zero hours contracts has more than doubled in the past decade. Meanwhile, union representation in the capital has fallen sharply in recent years, from 26 per cent of London employees in 1995 to just 17 per cent now.
The report finds that despite a fall in the number of low-paid jobs in London in the past five years, there are still some 574,000 that pay less than the London Living Wage, with wide variations across the different local authorities – only four per cent of jobs in the City are below that level compared with 33 per cent in Haringey.
The London Growth Plan, being produced by City Hall and London Councils, is expected to be published later this year, in line with the new national government’s commitments to boosting regional growth and create a national industrial strategy. The Mayor already has Good Work Standard accreditation programme which recognises best employment practices.
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