Wednesday newspaper round-up: Low pay, JD Sports, construction works
The government has been warned it could be forced to abandon targets for ending low pay in Britain by raising the legal minimum wage, as the economic costs of Covid-19 mount. The Low Pay Commission, the independent body which advises ministers on legal wage floors, said the government target to increase the national living wage to two-thirds of average earnings by 2024 could be in danger. – Guardian
JD Sports has become the latest store chain to stop paying rent to its landlords as the high street lockdown has a devastating impact on fashion retailers. JD confirmed that it had not paid the quarterly rent, which was due last week, for its 390 UK stores. The retailer is understood to be in discussions with its landlords about the next bill, due in June. – Guardian
About 11m people have downed tools across Britain as the coronavirus forces employers to shut down factories, offices and building sites to slow the spread of the pandemic, according to a major new survey. The forced stop to the economy means as many one in three workers are now at home and unable to do their jobs, the study by Bank of America has found. – Telegraph
The government is considering saying which critical construction works must continue to avoid a collapse of the building industry, even if further social or working restrictions are imposed. Alok Sharma, the business secretary, led talks on the proposals with senior ministers yesterday. The business department has recommended that a list of priority projects be published in the next two weeks, according to a strategy paper seen by The Times. – The Times
One of Britain’s largest accountancy firms has invited thousands of staff to agree to a 40 per cent pay cut or a voluntary sabbatical to reduce costs during the coronavirus crisis. Grant Thornton said that the move would help it to support staff and clients while navigating “clearly exceptional times”. It encouraged British workers yesterday to consider taking the pay cut, with a similar reduction in hours, until the end of May, or a sabbatical, under which they would be paid 30 per cent of their standard pay, until June. – The Times