HEALTH workers have been the heroes and heroines of this past Covid year but for all our doorstep applause they are being let down by employers imposing unfair working practices on them.

That is the verdict of workers’ representatives who are warning political parties canvassing for our votes for next month’s Holyrood elections that they expect them to make employees’ rights a priority.

Responding to research from the Living Wage Foundation whose survey of 2000 UK adults showed that almost two in five workers are given less than a week’s notice of their shifts or work patterns, Dave Moxham, deputy general secretary of the STUC, called for action.

He said: “We’re talking about a whole group of workers who even before the pandemic were suffering from work insecurity and low pay.

“The pandemic has shone a light on how important the work that they do is. And the additional strains that were there even before the pandemic have got worse.

“And anybody who works in that sector who has seen the applause and has been given the warm words who doesn’t emerge after the pandemic with more security and more appreciation, and that means financial appreciation, has the right to be very angry.

“And we will certainly give them our support in trying to improve their working conditions which they so richly deserve.

“In terms of where the Scottish Government can have real direct influence the care sector is an obvious example, and we have seen a number of the political parties in their manifestos saying that they want to move to a national care service with nationally bargained pay and terms and conditions.

“We’re just going to make sure that whoever is elected that they keep that promise and that the action is swift rather than slow. So we’re listening closely to every word from all the major parties, and all the promises they’re making, because we’ll be knocking on their door in the second week of May to begin to argue that they need to act immediately to deal with that.”

The Living Wage Foundation found in their survey that of the 59% whose job involves variable hours or shift work, almost two-thirds reported having less than a week’s notice of their schedule. Some 12% had less than 24 hours’ notice.

More than half (55%) of people in full-time, low-paid work (defined as earning less than £9.50 per hour) were given less than a week’s notice of their working patterns, while 15% had less than a day’s notice.

Low-paid, full-time workers from minority ethnic backgrounds were disproportionately affected: 68% had less than a week’s notice of their working hours. Short notice periods were particularly common in Scotland (35%).

Laura Gardiner, director at the Living Wage Foundation said: “Low-paid workers have been particularly hard hit during the pandemic, with millions struggling to plan their lives due to the double whammy of changing restrictions on economic activity and insufficient notice of work schedules from employers.”

“Despite this, and the challenges many employers have faced, some have stepped up during this crisis and committed to provide workers with secure, guaranteed hours and notice of shift patterns. These are the businesses that will help us rebuild and recover, and we encourage more employers to follow their example.”

Moxham agreed, adding: “By insisting that employers at least reflect the average hours that somebody would be expected to work, then you add an increased tier of stability.

“Some of the larger employers and multi-nationals really should be better able to plan how they organise work.”