Clergy, PCC and the like listen up; Church Action on Poverty have today produced an statement calling on churches to pay their workers a decent salary. This is one of those subjects that I've grown to feel frustrated by as more an more of my friends continue to be underpaid by silly churchmen (and typically, it is men!) with silly theology. Niall Cooper, National Coordinator of CAP said,
“Churches and other employers have a duty to pay their employees a living wage, at a level that enables workers to enjoy life in all its fullness. We call on all churches, charities and other major employers to raise the pay level of their lowest paid staff. We are sending out a clear message that the Church cannot tolerate low pay and poverty. In paying our employees a living wage we are making a clear stand against poverty.”
I wish my sister would pay attention to this, I am constantly telling her that she is being undervalued in her work for the church but she claims that money isn't her motivation. Which is all well and good, but no reason for the church not to recognise and pay according to her skills.
Posted by: moog | September 07, 2006 at 12:19 PM
our church recognised this a couple of years ago and did a whole pay and conditions review for all staff cos they realised that some staff were claiming low income benefit...as a result i think pretty much all the salaries went up. the big stronghold they felt was the 'poverty spirit' mentality which was defining stuff, rather than being that of being a generous employer. Obviously, the church has a duty to the members to use the money they give in the best way and I guess it's tempting to think that paying people is less 'important' than using the money for 'ministry projects'. Obviously you don't go into the employment of the church to get rich like you might some other careers, but people should be paid a decent living wage...(and I can say this now I don't work for a church anymore!)
Posted by: Helen Askew | September 07, 2006 at 09:36 PM