The Hourglass Economy: An analysis of London’s labour market

While London has more jobs than ever before, London’s economy faces a unique set of challenges resulting from the loss of mid-skilled employment opportunities and slowing productivity gains.

The London Assembly Economy Committee report ‘The Hourglass Economy: An analysis of London’s labour market’ makes a number of key findings:

• The labour market has become ‘hollowed out’ with a 13 per cent decline in the proportion of mid-skilled jobs (skilled administrative, manufacturing and trade jobs), meaning fewer opportunities for progression out of low pay.
• Productivity rates have grown at a slower rate than the rest of the UK, largely as a result of the skills shortage in London’s labour market.
• The proportion of jobs in London paying less than the London Living Wage has increased by 54 per cent since 2008, with one in five jobs in 2015 now paying less than the London Living Wage.
• The proportion of people employed on part-time and temporary contracts has increased from 25 per cent to 29 per cent since 2008.
• In-work poverty is rising: 57 per cent of Londoners in poverty are in working families.

The report explores the state of London’s economy since the 2008 financial crisis. Key recommendations include:

• The next Mayor should continue to promote the London Living Wage, with an ambition for all large multinationals to pay the London Living Wage over the next two years.
• The next Mayor and the London Enterprise Panel should work to ensure that London’s apprenticeships programme better provides the skills needed for London’s key growth sectors.
• The next Mayor should call for all job adverts to include contract and pay details to improve transparency and to encourage more firms to adopt fairer pay and conditions.
• The next Mayor should establish a working group to look at low pay sectors, such as retail and hospitality and to look at ways in which organisations can improve their contractual arrangements and working practices.