Its ruling cabinet today recommended to a full council meeting next month that the budget be approved to support this minimum salary proposal of £10 per hour.
If approved, it would be implemented from April 1 this year and would be above the UK’s voluntary real living wage rate of £9.90.
Council leader Rob Stewart said: “Our staff and key workers have been amazing throughout the pandemic, delivering essential services to the people of Swansea every day – from providing care and support, to ensuring bins are collected, and major projects are delivered.
“I’m really proud that we’ve been able to work with trades unions to get to this stage and – if agreed next month – this move will raise salaries immediately for the lowest paid, ensuring they’re paid above the real living wage.”
Joint deputy leader David Hopkins said: “I want our employees to earn a wage that meets the costs of living, not just the government minimum.”
GMB branch secretary Dorothy Gordon said: “GMB are pleased that the council could soon be paying their lower paid workers a £10 per hour minimum wage. We’ve been negotiating with the authority for 18 months on behalf of our members – and we’ll continue to campaign for them.”
UNISON secretary Chris Cooze said: “UNISON, as the largest union in the authority, has been campaigning for a £10 minimum wage. It’s fantastic to see Swansea looking to set the standard that hopefully other Welsh councils will follow.”
Jason Strannigan, branch secretary of the council’s Unite branch, said: “We’ve been working closely with the council to reward lower paid workers with a £10 living wage. This minimum wage would help them with the rising living costs.”
