Tag: pay and conditions

Improving social care pay and conditions

Collective bargaining arrangements introduced

A new voluntary social care bargaining body will help improve pay and conditions for more than 110,000 workers.

It will provide a forum for trade unions and care providers to negotiate better wages and wider terms and conditions for workers delivering adult social care services commissioned by local government. Arrangements will be extended to other commissioned services, such as children’s social care, in line with the Scottish Government’s commitment to fair work.

It will be established by the Scottish Government and partners, in response to requests from trades unions, and will begin negotiating in 2026, with deals implemented from 2027-28.

In addition, the Scottish Government is taking immediate action to improve conditions for workers delivering commissioned services in the private, voluntary, and independent sector, including:

  • funding an increase in maternity and paternity entitlements to bring them in line with that of staff employed directly by local government; and
  • funding Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) checks for workers.

Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing, Tom Arthur, said: “Social care workers provide essential, skilled support to the people we love, often in demanding and emotionally challenging circumstances. They deserve pay and conditions that reflect that.

“Fairer working conditions are essential to making social care the attractive and rewarding career which it should be. I thank trade unions and provider representatives for their positive engagement on this issue and look forward to close cooperation with them as we deliver sectoral bargaining.

“The steps we are taking today, with partners, deliver on our commitments and mark a major milestone in building a social care sector which we value, which we can be proud of – and that any of us may one day depend on.”

Amazon Prime Fun Week

DUNFERMLINE TEAM PRIMED AND READY TO CELEBRATE

A week-long series of activities took place at Amazon’s fulfilment centre in Dunfermline as team members celebrated the return of Prime Day.

Some of the fun and games organised for employees at the fulfilment centre included a carnival parade, tombola and carnival themed games. The events were organised by Amazon in Dunfermline to say thank you to the team for the work they do delivering for customers around the UK.

Autumn Morton, a team member from Amazon in Dunfermline who took part in the Prime Day fun, commented on the week, saying: “We had a great time celebrating together during Prime Day.

“We appreciated the chance to have fun and bond as a team as we prepared for a busy, rewarding week.”

Amazon Dunfermline General Manager, Jamie Strain, added: “Prime Day is an exciting time for customers and colleagues alike, so it’s important we set time aside to mark the occasion.

“Our week of fun provided us with an opportunity to celebrate together while delivering for our customers.”

Amazon employees receive competitive pay and comprehensive benefits. Pay starts between £11 and £12 per hour per hour depending on location and employees are offered a comprehensive benefits package, including private medical insurance, life assurance, income protection and an employee discount as well as a company pension plan.

Amazon employees can also take advantage of Amazon’s pioneering Career Choice programme, which pre-pays 95% of tuition for courses in high-demand fields, up to £8,000 over four years, regardless of whether the skills are relevant to a career at Amazon. 

Amazon also provides opportunities to improve existing skills or learn new ones through internal career progression opportunities such as cross-training, transferring to a different department and promotion into a managerial role. 

To find out more about a career with Amazon, visit Amazon Jobs.

Encouraging Fair Work

New conditions placed on public sector grants

Applicants for public sector grants must support better pay and conditions for workers in order to qualify, under new strengthened criteria which has come into force.

From today, organisations will need to demonstrate they pay at least the real Living Wage and provide channels for workers to have an effective voice, as a condition of the application.

The requirement forms part of the Bute House Agreement, a plan to work together with the Scottish Green Party to build a fairer and more equal economy.

This applies to organisations receiving public sector grants, and limited exceptions may be applied to ensure the measure remains proportionate.

Wellbeing Economy and Fair Work Secretary Neil Gray said: “Public sector funding should be used for the wider benefits needed in a wellbeing economy, such as the promotion of fair work – including the creation of more high quality, well paid jobs. This in turn will support stronger businesses, and vibrant, healthy communities.

“By extending the reach of our Fair Work First criteria – which has already been applied to some £4 billion of public funds since 2019 – we can better tackle the cost crisis, poverty and social inequalities.”

Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity Minister Lorna Slater said: “While this is essential to improving worker experience, research has also shown businesses with stronger employee voice and representation perform better and are more productive.    

“We will work with employers, workers and trade unions connected to organisations applying for a public sector grant to ensure we are continuing to improve terms and conditions, worker wellbeing and to develop progressive and fairer workplaces.”