TRADE unionists’ hopes were dashed yesterday as the SNP
ignored calls to enforce a living wage for tens of thousands working on public-sector
contracts.Campaigners watched with bated breath as MSPs debated the Scottish
government’s procurement Bill for a third and final time.
A Labour amendment had called on SNP ministers to require
all firms awarded a public-sector contract to pay their staff the semi-official
living wage, set at £7.65 an hour in Scotland.Holyrood has pledged the living
wage for all those directly employed by a public body but ministers have
refused to enforce it on public contracts, citing fear of EU competition rules.
Instead the government would require procurement panels only
to consider contractors’ rates of pay as one of several factors. Labour MSP
James Kelly told MSPs the measure “would make a massive difference” to
underpaid care workers, cleaners and others.
But the Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon would not
budge, saying the European Commission had advised ministers it would be
“unlikely” that the policy would escape legal challenge from would-be
contractors.
Green Party MSP Patrick Harvie retorted that ministers had
already taken on an expected legal challenge to minimum alcohol pricing from
booze firms.
“Sometimes governments must be willing to test the
boundaries of what is possible,” he said.
The amendment was rejected by 34 votes to 44.
14 comments:
Maybe the labour party shouldn't have joined forces with the tory party and voted against employment legislation being devolved to Holyrood. You reap what you sow.
Terry remember your old mate the bookie, what odds is he giving on Labour getting less than ten scottish mp's elected to westminster in May?
I might have a modest punt on that.
i looked the odds up terry, it's 3-1 that labour get less than 10 seats.
its 1/12 on that snp win more seats than labour
its 1/9 on that Alex Salmond wins his seat.
The most attractive bet is 12/1 against that labour is obliterated in scotland. AT the moment they look like getting 4 or 5 seats but give murphy enough time and he could get that down to zero, did you see his tweet last week stating that if america had had trident in 1944 then the german army wouldn't have attacked pearl harbour.
Poor poor guy, bring back lamont to give him a hand. he's floundering, maybe that egg addled his brain.
I must look up the odds for any of the following to retain their seats, Murphy, Curran. Alexander, Davidson etc etc
You now agree with me about the bookies nearly always being right then?. What changed your mind?
I think the odds will change as the election gets closer, the more MP'S the snp send to Westminster the more Scotland will be embarrassed.
'You now agree with me about the bookies nearly always being right then?. What changed your mind?'
Losing the referendum vote, so I take it you are conceding that the bookies have got it right this time and that the labour party is basically dead in scotland.
an interesting side bet is the number of conservative mp's in scotland being larger or smaller than the number of panda's in scotland give it two more weeks of murphy and labour will be included in that bet.
'I think the odds will change as the election gets closer, the more MP'S the snp send to Westminster the more Scotland will be embarrassed.'
more or less embarrassed than being represented by Murphy and Curran?
Terry does it make you grind your teeth watching Jim 'Blair' Murphy talking, go on tell the truth shame the devil.
Any odds on how many social workers you've upset terry?
Anonymous said...Tuesday, March 10, 2015 2:36:00 pm.
You are over looking the rather important point, that is that the bookies were predicting a comfortable victory for the NO side for some two and a half years before the polling day. This is a totally different ball game.
Anonymous said...Tuesday, March 10, 2015 6:38:00 pm. Arguably the biggest Labour scalp at risk and predicted to fall is that of Douglas Alexander. You ought to ask yourself why if the snp are so confident did they put up the candidate they did against him?, tough one eh?. Whether you or I like or dislike Jim Murphy does not alter the fact that he won a rock solid Tory seat and has held it comfortably since.
Anonymous said...Tuesday, March 10, 2015 6:25:00 pm.
I'm confident that the vast majority of people will spot what the story is really about.
you just cant keep your bile in check can you Terry, even that labour rag the daily record has disowned you. tut tut tut.
although I have to admit £24k a year after retirement isn't shabby. Got to protect that gravy train eh pal.
Did the boundary changes not massively effect his constituency when he won ?
I don't read the Daily Record and Malcolm Rifkind can't survive on £67,000 a year, why does he escape your wrath you plonker.
Running Man said...Wednesday, March 11, 2015 7:49:00 am
Are you asking me or telling me?. Do you want me to go and research that for you?.
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