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Immigration policy
Hotel chain owner Stephen
Leckie said the UK Government’s new points-based immigration policy would cripple his business and large parts of the tourism and hospitality industry.
Mr Leckie, who is the chairman of the Crieff Hydro family of hotels, said there had been “no consultation whatsoever” with business owners on the new plans, which will leave him struggling to fill jobs and could force him to close parts of his firm down
“So the Tories are now doing to Scotland’s tourist and agriculture industry what Thatcher did to our manufacturing. It will wither on the vine. Independence now.”
Bruno Yves, heraldscotland.com
“Employers such as Mr Leckie are indeed essential employers, but do nothing whatsoever to retain their extremely hard-working workforce. A high majority of employees will be expected to work at minimum wage.”
John Mcgowan, heraldscotland.com
“I’ve got no sympathy at all for the tourist/leisure sector. Employers in this sector absolutely exploit their workforce. Very low wages and very long hours are the norm.”
David Macleod, heraldscotland.com
“Crieff Hydro is completely staffed by immigrant labour, who appear happy with their lot and seem well trained. However, is it right that the Scottish tourist industry is artificially boosted by cheap labour?”
Susan Randle, heraldscotland.com
Lecturer strikes
Staff at more than a dozen Scottish universities went on strike yesterday in the first day of an “unprecedented” level of industrial action which will see classes cancelled at some institutions until mid-march.
Lecturers, teaching staff and other workers at universities in Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews among others have walked out in disputes over pay, conditions and pensions.
“What a disgrace – universities which should be setting a good example, putting staff on zerohours contracts, which should not exist, and apparently being discriminatory as regards staff pay. Universities are – or should be – centres of learning, not a sort of commerce.”
Alan Salisbury, heraldscotland.com
“Much teaching at lower levels is not done by tenured academic staff but by ‘graduate teaching assistants’, i.e. postgrads who were students themselves a year or two back.
“They are usually keen and can relate to students at the latter’s own level, but don’t have the experience a tutor ought to have. They are poorly paid and with questionable terms and conditions, eg too little time paid for proper marking.”
Paul Brownsey, heraldscotland.com
Police recruits
The recruitment of 800 officers will be front-loaded by Police Scotland to boost the force’s numbers before the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.
Three intakes – for the whole of 2020/21 – are planned in March, June and August, to ensure the number of officers peaks in the lead up to and during the United Nations conference in November.
“Why not get officers on secondment from throughout the UK? That’s what is usually done for major events like this. It’s not as if these officers will have lots of experience by the time of the event.”
Michael Kent, heraldscotland.com
“Glasgow is going to need not just hundreds but possibly thousands of additional unskilled workers for these events. Without these so called ‘unskilled’ workers there would be no event.
“I don’t expect the delegates would be too happy to make their own beds or their own breakfast, and I can’t see them setting up chairs etc in the conference halls or making their own morning and afternoon coffee.
“What about their lunch? Will they be bringing in their own sandwiches?”
P Preston, heraldscotland.com