Devolution Of Employment Law Requires Scottish Labour Backing, Says Glasgow City UNISON Branch
Omar Malik
23/04/24
((Equal Pay Strike In Glasgow. Image Credit: Kelly Neilson/Shutterstock))
Employment law can only be devolved to Holyrood if Scottish Labour fully supports the legislation, says the Glasgow City UNISON branch.
Last week’s annual Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) event in Dundee saw First Minister Humza Yousaf announce that the Scottish government will lay out plans for the devolution of employment law in the following weeks.
But the legislation requires Scottish Labour’s unanimous backing before it can pass according to Brian Smith, Glasgow City UNISON branch secretary: “They’ll need the government’s support, but assuming Labour forms the next UK government, there’s a clash between UK-wide Labour - Angela Raynor isn’t in favour of the proposal - and Scottish Labour, which supports the plans.”
However Scottish Labour’s commitment to devolving employment law is uncertain, with leader Anas Sarwar and shadow secretary Ian Murray sharing contradictory positions on the matter.
(Scottish Parliament Debating Chamber. Image Credit: Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock)
The STUC, Scotland’s biggest trade union body, unanimously passed a motion at last week’s congress which reaffirms the body’s dedication to employment law devolution to ensure improved conditions for workers.
The motion urges the Scottish government to expand bargaining pursuits, in addition to calling for a Labour government to implement the New Deal for Working People during the first 100 days of them forming a government.
Unite Scotland regional secretary Derek Thomas put forward the motion, declaring that Labour’s New Deal must efficiently and promptly improve conditions for workers.
If the New Deal is enacted by Labour, it will ensure rights for workers from the beginning of their employment; in addition to prohibiting zero-hour contracts.
(Zero-Hour Contract Illustration. Image Credit: SpeedKingz/Shutterstock)
While divisive legislation such as the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act - which requires essential public services to run a minimum level of service in the event of strikes - will be repealed under the New Deal.
At the annual congress, Thomas criticised the Minimum Service Levels Act, referring to its supposed anti-worker and anti-trade union elements.
Prioritising the devolvement of employment law can hasten these union-agreed plans, Smith told Blether: “The Scottish government could more effectively make decisions about employment legislation, which could then improve workers’ rights. By reducing the impact of lobbying, a different legal minimum wage could be set in Scotland, for example.”
The motion also stated that the Scottish government must continue to honour its promise of not enforcing work notices across the country.