Carnegie UK Trust: What next for Fair Work in Scotland?

The Carnegie UK Trust has published a new report:What Next For Fair Work in Scotland? 

With the approach of Scottish Parliament elections in May, the country is at a critical juncture, having spent the last year confronting COVID.

The Scottish Government has a strong pre-existing commitment to the achievement of ‘Fair Work’ – defined as that which offers opportunity, security, fulfilment, respect and effective voice – and a dedicated Fair Work Convention acts as an independent source of advice and scrutiny on Scotland’s progress towards becoming a ‘Fair Work Nation.’

However, COVID-19 has significantly altered the context in which that Fair Work agenda is being moved forward. The pandemic has severely impacted lives and livelihoods – but has also seen labour market interventions and business innovations that were previously unimaginable, and given rise to calls to build back a better labour market.

Our report considers the progress of Scotland’s Fair Work agenda so far, and sets out our recommendations about how Fair Work can continue to be advanced in a way that is responsive to the significant challenges and opportunities presented by the pandemic.

While many different actors -employers, public bodies, trade unions, and wider civil society –influence the achievement of Fair Work, our recommendations are focused on the government in Scotland, looking ahead to what actions can be advanced in the next parliamentary session.

The Scottish Government’s existing commitment to and programme of Fair Work activities provides a strong foundation for Scotland to adapt to the challenges and opportunities exacerbated by COVID-19.

Our report makes 18 recommendations about how progress can be sustained and Fair Work expanded to many more people, including that Scottish Government should:

• Increase support to grow ‘Fair Flexibility’ in Scotland.
• Continue to articulate the compelling business case for Fair Work, starting with a ‘Fair Work in the Recovery’ campaign targeted at employers.
• Support the delivery of a ‘Living Hours’ programme in Scotland.
• Dedicate resources towards a renewed focus on work-related health and safety.
• Continue to improve how Fair Work is measured in Scotland.

We would be delighted to hear your views on the ideas in the report.

You can get in touch with us on Twitter @CarnegieUKTrust, using the hashtag #FairWork, or you can let us know your thoughts by emailing the report author, Gail Irvine, Senior Policy and Development Officer, on gail.irvine@carnegieuk.org