Joint Communiqué on Equalities from the Scottish Government and the Scottish Trades Union Congress
We agree that
• Promoting equality and reducing the inequalities in Scottish society will contribute to Scotland’s economic wellbeing and to successful delivery on the Scottish Government’s purpose and national outcomes.
• Scotland will be better able to meet the challenges of an ageing population, the impact of globalisation and linked issues of migration and employment and sustain good community relations if it is addressing the inequalities in society.
• For the protection and wellbeing of our communities, it is important to ensure that the commitment to equality and the value placed on the diversity of our population and workforce remains in this period of hardening economic conditions.
• Closing the gender pay gap is vital to improving Scotland’s productivity, to tackling the poverty of children, women and families; and to achieving a fair, just and inclusive Scotland.
• To achieve equal pay in Scotland’s public and private sectors, there are key roles for a number of stakeholders, including the Scottish Government, the STUC and its affiliated trade unions, CoSLA, employers and their representative bodies, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, audit and inspection bodies.
• If we fail to utilise effectively the skills of all of Scotland’s diverse population then we hold back Scotland’s productivity.
• The skills of women workers too often go unrecognised as the work undertaken largely by women is undervalued and the opportunities for progression limited. Proper recognition of women’s skills and work, alongside more creative and flexible working opportunities, and positive attitudes towards caring responsibilities, will help to address the under-employment of women.
Together we agree to:
• Continue to drive forward efforts to achieve greater equality and to tackle discrimination and prejudice.
• Consider what joint action might be undertaken to increase the understanding of how a fairer and more equal society can contribute to Scotland’s economic wellbeing.
• Continue to work in partnership with the EHRC, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise through the Close the Gap Project which is helping to address the gender pay gap.
• Continue to work together in challenging negative or discriminatory stereotypes and assumptions and advancing the recommendations outlined in the Cross Directorate Report on Occupational Segregation.
• Highlight the importance of public bodies using the public sector equality duties to help deliver improved outcomes, to assist in closing the pay gap, and to embed equalities within policy, service delivery and procurement.
• To consider how best to take forward the equality principles contained in the Skills Strategy – particularly in regard to women and groups that experience discrimination - as part of the work of the Skills Utilisation Leadership Group on improving the use of skills in the workplace.
ENDS