Motion 58
Expanding Fair Work Across all Sectors
“That this Congress recognises the vital role of the Fair Work Framework in promoting dignity, respect, and equality in Scotland’s workplaces. However, despite progress, too many workers remain excluded from its benefits. In sectors such as health and social care, hospitality, retail, and the gig economy, insecure contracts, low pay, and lack of voice persist. Scotland has not realised the ambition of becoming a Fair Work nation by 2025.
“Congress believes that Fair Work must not remain aspirational—it must be enforceable. Every worker, regardless of sector or employment status, deserves fair pay, security, opportunity, and a voice in shaping their conditions. Congress further notes that voluntary adoption of Fair Work principles has not delivered the scale of change desired.
“Congress calls on the General Council to lobby the Scottish Government to:
- make Fair Work a statutory requirement for all employers receiving any public funds, including grants, contracts, procurement, or reimbursement;
- extend Fair Work enforcement powers to cover all sectors, including those with high levels of sub-contracting, casual, and platform-based work;
- introduce sectoral bargaining mechanisms in key sectors to ensure collective standards on pay and conditions for Scotland’s workers;
- strengthen penalties for non-compliance, ensuring that Fair Work commitments are meaningful and not tokenistic; and
- invest in trade union access and organising rights, recognising unions as the workers’ voice when delivering Fair Work.
“Congress urges the General Council to campaign for these measures and to work with affiliates to ensure that Fair Work principles are embedded in every workplace—not just those in the public sector or large employers.
“Fair Work is not optional. It is the foundation of a just economy and a fair society.”
Mover: East Kilbride & South Lanarkshire Trades Union Council
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