‘Fair Work First’ announced by FM

The Scottish Government will adopt a new default position – termed ‘Fair Work First’ – that will see criteria, including the living wage, extended to more contracts and government support grants.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that by the end of this Parliament the Scottish Government will extend the application of fair work criteria, including:

• investment in skills and training
• no exploitative zero hours contracts.
• action on gender pay.
• genuine workforce engagement, including with trade unions, and
• payment of the Real Living Wage.

Making the announcement, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said:

“We are committed to fair work. More security, decent pay and a greater voice for workers in the companies whose wealth they help to create.

“Fair work is good for everyone. It drives innovation and productivity. And that makes for better businesses and higher profits.

“That’s why we will adopt a new default position, Fair Work First. By the end of this parliament, we will extend fair work criteria to as many funding streams and business support grants as we can.

“We will also extend the range of Scottish Government and public sector contracts that fair work criteria will apply to. And we will maximise the benefit of public contracts to small businesses and local supply chains.

“Details will vary depending on the size of companies and the circumstances of different sectors, but Fair Work First means investment in skills and training, no exploitative zero hours contracts, action on gender pay, genuine workforce engagement, including with trade unions, and payment of the Real Living Wage.

“We may not yet have the constitutional power to make fair work a legal requirement, but we do have the financial power of government to make it a practical reality and we will make that count.”