Scottish Labour has announced it will seek to end the use of
zero-hours contracts in public sector procurement and has
proposed a ‘better business Scotland’ scheme to support
Scotland’s economic recovery.
As part of a National Recovery Plan for Jobs due to be released
this week, the party has called for a guarantee that no publicly
procured contract uses zero-hours based labour under any
circumstances.
The current ‘Fair Work First’ rules over public procurement only
preclude the ‘inappropriate’ use of zero-hours contracts –
leaving the door open to zero-hours being used by companies
benefiting from public procurement.
Scottish Labour is committed to preventing any public sector
procurement work going to companies that use zero-hours
contracts.
In order to help promote good work principles, Scottish Labour
will propose a ‘Better Business Scotland’ certification
scheme.
The scheme will provide recognition to businesses if they:
• Do not use zero hours contracts.
• Pay the Scottish Living Wage
• Produce a clear carbon reduction plan or commit to net
zero.
Scottish Labour leader has said that Scottish Labour is committed to putting
fairness and good work values at the heart of Scotland’s economic
recovery.
Mr Sarwar said: “Alongside the tragic death toll that this
pandemic has caused we have taken an economic hit harder and
deeper than the banking crisis.
“We need to put a jobs recovery at the heart of our plan for a
national recovery from the pandemic.
“But we need to make sure that our economic recovery is based on
fairness and good work – we cannot go back to the inequalities
and the broken economic model pre-covid.
“We should bring an end to the use of zero-hours contracts by
companies that benefit from public funds and establish a ‘Better
Business Scotland’ certification scheme to promote good work
principles.
“Scotland deserves better than the inequalities of the past.
Scottish Labour will fight for an economic recovery with fairness
at its heart.”
