Together for wages

Sir, It is sobering news to see Scottish unemployment rise by 0.3 per cent this quarter.

While the general trend is for low unemployment, it is a reminder of the problems that still exist in the labour market in Scotland.

It is clear from this week’s pessimistic reports on the state of economy that wag- es remain in a downward spiral and prices continue to rise. The figures from the Office for National Statistics confirm a further fall in real wages for workers of 0.4 per cent.

The OECD Economic Survey Overview, published earlier this week, attributed continuing falls in real wages to lower levels of unionisation and collective bargaining and the growth of insecure and part-time jobs and zero-hours contracts.

The reality is many workers across the UK are at breaking point and for too many work does not offer an effective route out of poverty. It is only through workers strengthening their collective bargaining power that we will begin to see a more secure labour market. In the public sector, where both governments have the biggest capacity to act on wages, they are sitting on their hands.

The Scottish Government’s Fair Work Framework echoes our call for the expansion of workers’ collective bargaining and they now must support its extension into low wage sectors such as hospitality and retail. Graham Smith, Scottish Trades Union Congress.