ALLIANCE response on Scotland Becoming a Fair Work Nation – call for input

Members are invited to give feedback on the ALLIANCE's draft response to the Scottish Government's consultation on Fair Work.

The ALLIANCE welcomes the public consultation on Scotland becoming a Fair Work Nation (this link will take you away from our website).

In our draft response, drawing on our research and feedback from our members, the ALLIANCE recommends action on the following priority areas in order to deliver fairer work in Scotland:

• Scottish Government, local authorities, and HSCPs should give priority in commissioning to employers who cover employee and workers’ travel costs connected with work, including paid travel time.
• Scottish Government, local authorities, and HSCPs should give priority in commissioning to employers who give care workers access to higher pay grades beyond the first spine point on the NHS Access for Change Bands (£10.02 per hour), as appropriate to their experience and expertise, with clear options for career progression
• Scottish Government, local authorities, and HSCPs should give priority in commissioning to employers who do not use zero-hour contracts (or equivalent).
• Recognise and offer increased pay to people with specialist skills within social care work – e.g. Deafblind guide communicators, people with advanced paediatric first aid qualifications, and those with other specialised knowledge and training.
• Support workers to make autonomous judgements if people’s care and support requirements (e.g. care at home) need to take longer than originally scheduled.
• Support flexible and part-time working requests.
• Support employees and contractors who request caring leave.
• Implement redundancy protection for unpaid carers who have taken caring leave.
• Implement redundancy protection for new parents (including people who have taken adoption leave).
• Embed human rights PANEL principles throughout the design of the commissioning and procurement processes (both in health and social care and more broadly).
• Ensure that co-production is embedded throughout commissioning and procurement models (during design, implementation, and review) – again, both in health and social care and across other sectors.
• Provide employees and contractors with appropriate training and development opportunities (where people are paid during their attendance at any training etc.).

We welcome further input from our members on this draft response. If you have feedback to share with us, please email any comments and suggestions to Hannah Tweed, Senior Policy Officer, at hannah.tweed@alliance-scotland.org.uk by Monday 13th December. 

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