We have written an open letter to both Manchester City and Manchester United Football Clubs, and would love you to add your name if you are a fan of either team.
Please comment below or email [email protected] with your name and how you'd like to appear on the letter, i.e. with your position in an organisation, or simply as a fan of one of the clubs.
If you share this on social media please use #ManCityUnitedLW
"Dear Khaldoon Al Mubarak and Ed Woodward,
We are writing as faith leaders, community campaigners, local politicians, local businesses, trade unionists and fans ahead of the Manchester Derby, to call on both City and United to become accredited Living Wage Employers.
We all acknowledge and applaud the great work already being done by both Clubs in the community, from the regeneration of large parts of East Manchester by Man City (in partnership with Manchester City Council) to the outreach and charity work by Man Utd. We also acknowledge the steps made by both clubs in ensuring that their directly employed staff are paid the Living Wage, ahead of the Premier League's schedule.
However this commitment has not yet been extended to all contracted and subcontracted staff, who make up the majority of match-day staff. At the Manchester Derby therefore, and at home games for both teams, hundreds of match day staff such as cleaning and catering staff are still not being paid the Living Wage.
We therefore urge City and Utd to join the growing number of local councils, businesses and charities already committed to pay the Living Wage to both their directly employed and outsourced staff, by seeking accreditation from the Living Wage Foundation.
Paying the Living Wage is morally the right thing to do, easily affordable and a perfect complement to the great community work already being done by City and United.
Yours sincerely,