SCOTLAND’S largest trade union body has called for the devolution of employment law to provide better conditions for workers.
The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) passed a motion at its annual congress in Dundee on Wednesday which expressed the body’s support for the devolution of employment law to Scotland.
It comes after First Minister Humza Yousaf (below) confirmed on Tuesday at the annual congress that he would be laying out the Scottish Government's plans for the devolution of employment law in the coming weeks.
The motion calls on the Scottish Government to take “significant action” to expand collective bargaining agreements, as well as calling for an incoming Labour Government to enact the New Deal for Working People within the first 100 days of government.
The motion was put forward by Derek Thompson, Unite Scotland regional secretary, who said Labour’s New Deal needed to go further to provide better conditions for workers.
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The New Deal, if implemented, will give all workers employment rights from their first day in a job, ban zero-hours contracts, and repeal "anti-trade union legislation" such as the controversial Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act, which requires a minimum service level to be provided on certain services in the event of industrial action.
“As the trade union movement has risen, the Tories’ fortunes have fallen,” Thompson told delegates in Dundee.
He called the Minimum Service Levels Act “undemocratic and probably illegal” and said that an incoming Labour government had to do more for workers.
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He added that the devolution of employment law “must be the number one priority” for an incoming Labour government.
The motion, which was seconded by Aslef’s Jim Baxter, passed unanimously.
Speaking to delegates, Baxter affirmed that unions and workers in the industry had warned that the Minimum Services legislation was “completely unworkable” in the rail industry.
The motion also called on the STUC to hold the Scottish Government to their commitment not to issue or enforce work notices in Scotland.
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