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Programme For Government Must Be Unashamedly Progressive to Protect Pay & Services

Scotland’s largest trade union body has called upon the Scottish Government to be ‘unashamedly’ progressive to protect pay and services as they set out their Programme for Government tomorrow.

The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) has called on the First Minister to show ‘bold leadership’ and increase the rate of taxation on higher earners, including redistributing wealth throughout Scotland through a combination of land and wealth taxes.

Moves previously proposed by the STUC include introducing a new income tax rate for those earning over £75,000, a new wealth tax to fund local services and wholesale property and land re-evaluations, paving the way for a property tax to be introduced by 2026. Last year the union body set out a range of tax proposals, including land, property and wealth taxes, that the Scottish Government could introduce using the current powers of the Scottish Parliament, raising a potential £3.3 billion of extra revenue.

Analysis from the STUC has found that workers in Scotland have suffered a more than £1400 pay cut over the past two years as a result of inflation outstripping pay. When compared to the rest of the UK, workers in Scotland are £338 worse off with workers within the arts, entertainment, waste and education sectors facing a 6-7% wage cut. Meanwhile, Scotland’s five richest families saw their wealth increase by 7.4%, in real terms, to more than £18 billion, in the last year.

The findings have prompted STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer to reiterate the call for the Scottish Government to raise their public sector pay cap, offering decent real-terms pay rises to Scotland’s public sector workers.

Commenting, Ms Foyer said:

“Now is not the time for half-measures or rollbacks. The First Minister must stand firm and be unashamedly progressive in his first Programme for Government to ensure public sector workers get fair pay and our public services are supported.

“There is wealth in our nation. In this time of humanitarian crisis, with so many struggling to afford the basic necessities, it’s not unreasonable to ask those with the broadest shoulders to pay their share.

“We need bold leadership to ensure we redistribute resources to those most in need. With an over £1400 black hole in their pay packets, workers throughout the country cannot afford any further delay. The First Minister can alleviate their suffering and raise public sector pay, funded and afforded through progressive taxation on those who have the most.

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