Greens deliver progress on real Living Wage in Scotland
The Scottish Greens have welcomed confirmation from the Scottish Government that companies who receive public sector grants and support will soon be required to pay their workers at least the Real Living Wage, a policy secured by the Greens’ through the Bute House Agreement.
Citing the publication of the People's Plan for Action, a bold and ambitious plan unveiled this month by the Scottish Trade Union Congress, Poverty Alliance, Living Rent and a number of other groups, the Scottish Greens finance spokesperson, Ross Greer MSP, used a parliamentary question to Cabinet Secretary Shona Robison to welcome the Scottish Government’s confirmation that all organisations seeking public sector grants will soon need to pay at least the Real Living Wage. The Cabinet Secretary confirmed that Ministers will provide an update on the implementation date in the coming weeks.
This comes after the Greens last year secured a similar Real Living Wage condition for any business bidding for contracts with public bodies in Scotland.
Speaking after his question, Ross Greer MSP said:
“The STUC, Living Rent and other organisations who have developed this Plan of Action should be congratulated for their work. I am delighted that as a result of the Scottish Greens entering government we have already made progress on ensuring more workers are paid at least the Real Living Wage and that further progress is coming soon.
“Promoting and expanding the Real Living Wage is just one step we are taking to tackle the cost of living crisis. We have also increased the Scottish Child Payment to £25 a week for every eligible child and have delivered free bus travel for everyone under 22. These are major and positive changes that are helping millions of people across Scotland.
“This stands in stark contrast to the cuts, austerity and cruelty that we have seen from Westminster. There is nothing inevitable about poverty or the grotesque inequality that has been fuelled by Downing Street.
“There is so much more that we could do in Scotland if we had the same powers as any normal independent country. But, when it comes to setting a minimum wage across the whole economy, providing financial security to every family or regulating energy bills, the biggest decisions are being made by a chaotic Tory government that is only interested in further enriching its wealthy friends and donors. With the powers of independence we can build a fairer, greener and better society.”