OREANDA-NEWS. Scotland’s Energy Minister, Fergus Ewing has praised SSE’s Networks business, SHE Transmission, for its commitment to being a Living Wage employer.
 
SHE Transmission announced Scotland’s biggest ever Living Wage contract, when it awarded part of the Caithness-Moray Transmission Project – worth ?460 million – to the engineering firm ABB Limited.  The project as a whole is expected to support around 600 jobs between now and anticipated completion in 2018.
 
Speaking about the decision, the Energy Minister said: “I must congratulate all at SSE who have made this decision, and I hope that many other leading players will follow this lead.
 
“SSE is to be commended in showing leadership in a way that will be applauded by everyone in Scotland and serves as an example to others to follow suit.”  
 
The company’s commitment to the Living Wage and being a responsible employer means that the hundreds of staff and contractors working on the new subsea link, which will allow more renewable energy to join up to the network in the north of Scotland, will be paid at least ?7.65 per hour and ?7.85 from April 2015.
 
The MSP for Inverness and Nairn added: “When large companies provide this leadership, it is right that they are congratulated and their efforts recognised.

“I am therefore delighted to praise SSE for taking this step in ensuring that all workers on this major and necessary contract will be paid at least the living wage.”
 
SSE was accredited as a Living Wage employer in 2013 and recently received the Living Wage Champion Award for Scotland.