A new living wage in Scotland

Date: 24 June 2010

Low paid workers who conducted action research into pay levels are presenting their evidence at an event in the Scottish Parliament today.

MSPS Christina McKelvie and Andy Kerr are hosting the UNISON-Oxfam Fair Pay event in the Garden Lobby. Ninety guests are attending to hear evidence from the research, which was conducted by low paid workers employed in Scotland's public services.

Members of the Fair Pay campaign have been heartened by the announcement by Alex Neill MSP that employees of the Scottish Government will enjoy the protection of a Living Wage of £7.00. While we greatly welcome this announcement it immediately raises questions about the scope of such a measure and the protection afforded to people not directly employed by the government.

Those attending will have an opportunity to digest the detail of the proposed Living Wage and identify how that principle can be extended to protect a wider group of vulnerable public sector workers.

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