News

Fair Work Convention publishes Fair Work Manifesto for Scotland

Fair Work convention logo

The Fair Work Convention published its Fair Work Manifesto for Scotland this week in a bid to get all political parties to commit to delivering on the national ambition of becoming a leading Fair Work Nation by 2025.

The Manifesto outlines that to become a Fair Work Nation, the political parties should focus on five key indicators: Opportunity, Respect, Security, Fulfilment, and Effective Voice.

Professor Patricia Findlay, Co-Chair of the Fair Work Convention, said:

"The on-going public health challenges and the economic and social impact of COVID-19 has laid bare much of the unfairness at the heart of our economy and the need for fair work, but it has also increased the challenges we face with many sectors now under a range of ongoing and new pressures. In the wake of such unprecedented shocks, progress towards achieving fair work is ever more crucial but not guaranteed."

Recommendations

There are seven key recommendations within the manifesto that are essential if the political parties want to make progress towards a Fair Work Nation:

  • Creating sector level fair work processes that bring employers, unions and policymakers together;
  • Improving the experience of fair work for disabled workers, ethnic minority workers, women, younger workers, older workers and LGBT+ workers;
  • Using the powers of the Parliament to improve the safety net for workers, with a specific focus on sick pay and unemployment support;
  • Making Fair Work a condition of all public funding available, and public contracts awarded, to employers as a means of improving and embedding higher fair work standards;
  • Improving workers’ access to training and the more effective use of their skills;
  • Giving more workers access to ‘voice’ arrangements at work, including union membership and recognition, with a particular focus on young workers beginning with the Youth Guarantee; and
  • Improving data quality at a Scottish level around employment relations, protected characteristics, geography and class.

The Scottish Government adopted the Convention’s Fair Work Framework in 2016. With the next parliamentary session in 2025 the Fair Work Convention says that urgent action is needed for them to achieve their target.

How does Fair Work relate to public sector procurement in Scotland?

Gillian Cameron, Manager of SDP Scotland, said:

“Fair Work is part of sustainable procurement, and Scottish suppliers will be increasingly asked to describe the actions they are taking as a business as they bid for public sector contract opportunities. The Supplier Development Programme is on hand to ensure that Scottish SMEs and supported businesses can be prepared for upcoming changes and good practice expected by Scotland's public sector buyers."

Visit the Fair Work Convention website for more details.

Share this page

SDP Scotland logo Loading