Get serious on pay issue

James Kelly MSP says it is “time to get serious on better pay”for workers in Rutherglen and Cambuslang as new research suggests 17,000 people in South Lanarkshire are paid below the Living Wage.

Mr Kelly says the figures, from accountancy firm KPMG, should“act as a wake up call for politicians.”

It is estimated around 400,000 workers in Scotland earn less than the Living Wage, which was recently increased to £7.85 an hour.

Mr Kelly lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament calling on subcontracted Government staff to be paid the Living Wage, however, this was voted down by the SNP and Conservative parties.

The SNP say this would breach EU guidelines.

Mr Kelly said:“The hospitality and retail industries employ thousands of people in dire need of a payrise.

“A National Living Wage Strategy would be able to target and work with these industries to delver a pay rise to workers who need it the most.

“The SNP were wrong to vote against the Living Wage, but I hope they see sense and work with Scottish Labour to help deliver better pay for workers across Scotland.”

However, Glasgow SNP MSP, Bob Doris, hit back, saying:“James Kelly’s hypocrisy is staggering on a few levels.

“It has taken an SNP Government to guarantee the Living Wage to all government staff. Labour had no such policy when they were in charge. Now they would have us believe that, although they did not even pay their own staff the Living Wage, they would break EU law by forcing all contractors to pay it!

“Although we cannot set the pay of nongovernment staff, the SNP have nonetheless been highly successful in promoting the Living Wage across the board. Last year, the Scottish Government introduced the Living Wage Employer Recognition Scheme, which draws attention to those employers who pay it and encourages others to follow suit.“