Amended Motion 49
Securing Fair and Equal Pay in Public Services
‘‘That this Congress notes that during 14 years of austerity, public services have been on their knees and poor pay awards have forced workers to do more for less; condemns the view that public sector pay awards – which have barely kept pace with inflation – are responsible for public service underfunding; and resolves that public sector workers should never be expected to subsidise public services with their quality of life.
‘‘Congress notes that previous Public Sector Pay Strategies have not had significant input from trade unions which is required to make any strategy realistic and value public service workers; and further notes that the pay ceiling of 5% in 2023/24 was breached in several public services as were conditions on executive pay thereby making the strategy redundant.
‘‘Congress notes that at a biannual meeting with the STUC in 2023 the First Minister committed to initiate a review of the public sector pay strategy in order to make it less bureaucratic and more agile and looks forward to receiving the outcome before any new strategy is published.
‘‘Congress condemns the Scottish Government’s Council Tax freeze which continues to starve council services, limit pay awards and stall progress on equal pay; and believes that a local taxation must be sustainable, properly fund council services and pay, and ensure those with the ability to pay more do so.
‘‘Congress supports the stand taken by workers across Scotland fighting for equal pay such as those in Dundee City Council and Tayside Contracts Ltd; notes that underfunding is enabling councils to delay equal pay settlements and correcting pay inequalities thereby increasing the debt owed to women and forcing trade unions to take lengthy legal action further draining council finances.
‘‘Congress therefore calls on the Scottish Government to:
- reform or replace the Council Tax to alleviate taxes on the poorest whilst increasing taxes on the wealthiest;
- protect and grow the frontline public service workforce;
- engage meaningfully with trade unions on a Public Sector Pay Strategy that fully acknowledged and respects sectoral collective bargaining arrangements’; and
- form a robust national plan to fund equal pay settlements and tackle pay discrimination across Scotland’s public services.’’
Mover: GMB Scotland
Seconder: Educational Institute of Scotland
Supporter: Public and Commercial Services Union
RSS