Ric Metcalfe

By Ric Metcalfe City of Lincoln Council Leader

A great deal has already been said and written about the death of Nelson Mandela on December 5. The reaction to his death around the world is testimony to the huge affection and respect we have for the extraordinary human being and inspirational leader that he was.

I was a student in 1964 and writing a dissertation about the South African Liberation movement at the time of the infamous Rivonia trial of Nelson Mandela and other members of the ANC. I myself had been involved in non-violent protests in the British Peace movement, and was interested in exploring in my dissertation the justification for the use of violence in the context of liberation struggles against regimes like the South African Apartheid regime.

Only four years earlier an event had taken place which shook world opinion and led, perhaps inevitably, to the South African Liberation movement turning to violence. On March 21, 1960, 69 men women and children were killed and at least 180 black Africans were injured when South African police opened fire on 300 unarmed demonstrators, who were protesting against the Pass laws, in the township of Sharpeville.

As Mandela’s involvement in the resistance movement grew, attempts by the South African State to imprison him intensified leading ultimately to him, along with nine other African national Congress defendants, being put on trial.

In Nelson Mandela’s now famous four hour speech from the dock in the Rivonia treason trial on April 20th 1964, with him and his colleagues facing the probable death sentence, Mandela spoke about both the hardships of poverty and lack of human dignity.

He said: “The Whites enjoy the highest standard of living in the world, whilst Africans live in poverty and misery. The complaint of Africans, however, is not only that they are poor and whites are rich, but that the laws which are made by the whites are designed to preserve this situation.”

Mandela was an African Nationalist, but he was also a democratic socialist, seeing the close relationship between the inherent racism of the Apartheid system and capitalism, private land ownership and the power of big money.

The British Anti-Apartheid movement which first came into being in the late 1950’s campaigned long and hard for boycotts and sanctions against South Africa and played a proud and significant part in raising awareness and mobilizing world opinion against the injustices of Apartheid.

From 1979, Margaret Thatcher’s role in relation to Apartheid is well known. She was bitterly against sanctions of any sort – “they were a crime against free trade.” She even went on denouncing them after Britain and the rest of the Commonwealth had imposed a ban on sporting contacts and imposed other sanctions.

For many of us on the political left in those days, the South African struggle was highly significant in inspiring many of us to become involved politically and to become drawn into other fights against injustice and oppression.

We all owe Nelson Mandela and his colleagues a huge debt of gratitude and remain to this day inspired by their vision and courage and resilience in defeating the evil of Apartheid.

Councillor Ric Metcalfe is the Labour Leader of the City of Lincoln Council.

By Ric Metcalfe City of Lincoln Council Leader

The latest published figures for pay in Lincoln reveal for 2011 that although average pay was 17,500 per annum, the lowest 20% of earners were earning less than £10,000 per annum compared with the highest 20% of earners who were earning above £30,000 per annum.

In 2011 some 24% of Lincoln children were living in low income families. 17% of households in Lincoln are in fuel poverty, spending more than 10% of their income on fuel costs. Most people in Lincoln facing poverty are in work.

Low pay is one of the fundamental causes of poverty and we need to address it with some concerted action.

The City of Lincoln Council recently took the decision, albeit against immensely challenging financial constraints, to pay its lowest paid staff the Living Wage of £7.45 per hour. A number of our very lowest paid front line staff, performing public services in often difficult or unpleasant environments, have already felt the benefit.

To the many working households really struggling to make ends meet in Lincoln, the Living Wage would make a significant difference, particularly for those on the minimum wage, of up to £52 per week extra.

Social Justice alone surely demands that we do something to alleviate current levels of hardship?

But there are however some tangible benefits to employers of paying the living wage. If employees feel they are being fairly rewarded for their efforts, common sense, and all of the evidence shows, that this motivates them, improves their performance and makes them more willing to accept change.

An independent study of the business benefits of implementing a Living Wage policy in London found that more than 80% of employers believe that the Living Wage had enhanced the quality of the work of their staff, while absenteeism had fallen by approximately 25%.

Two thirds of employers reported a significant impact on recruitment and retention within their organisation. 70% of employers felt that the Living Wage had increased consumer awareness of their commitment to be an ethical employer. Many of the most successful businesses are now beginning to realise how important reputation for ethical practice is becoming among consumers in increasingly competitive markets.

There are also significant benefits arising from the ‘Living Wage’ in terms of increasing local spend. According to an independent report commissioned by Newcastle City Council, lower paid workers tend to spend a greater proportion of their income in local shops and on local services, and that the payment of the living wage had provided an important new stimulus to the local economy.

Improved pay levels are good for the wider community too. Better pay reduces the need for people to turn to the benefit system for income support, and from a wider economic point of view, low pay simply depresses demand at a time when we are looking to increase demand for goods and services to stimulate growth.

Low income has a severely adverse impact on people’s health and well being, and importantly, for future generations, has a very adverse impact on educational attainment.

So, paying the living wage is good for individuals and their families, good for business and good for the local community.

Can we get all employers in Lincoln to pay it and be the first place in the country to declare a low pay free zone?

Councillor Ric Metcalfe is the Labour Leader of the City of Lincoln Council.