Still campaigning for a Living Wage (and against zero-hours contracts as well!)

Earlier this week I was asked by the Courier to comment on the plans by Sports Direct to ensure that it was paying more than the Minimum Wage, this came after some investigations appeared to suggest that Sports Direct was in fact paying less than the Living Wage by making staff turn-up earlier than the time they were paid from.  It is remarkable that a company which is represented on just about every high street could be behaving like that in 2016.

It is worth remembering that prior to the 1997 Labour Government there was no National Minimum Wage.  The minimum wage was delivered by Labour and is evidence of why we need Labour Governments in Holyrood and Westminster.

I have campaigned for the Living Wage and was responsible for pushing Dundee City Council into paying the Living Wage and also pressing for the council to take the lead and ensure that Dundee becomes a Living Wage Economy.

I think that it is good that Sports Direct pay more than the Minimum Wage, I think they should be moving towards a Living Wage.  I also want to say that George Osborne's so-called National Living Wage is no such thing - it is a rise in the rate of the Minimum Wage for people over 25.  I want to see movement towards a real Living Wage set at a rate agreed by an independent body.

People also need to know how many hours they will be expected to work and also need a clear idea of what their earnings will be.  Most people have a set of basic fixed costs such as accommodation, utilities, council tax plus the necessity to feed and clothe themselves if they don't have certainty over their earnings this is very difficult.  I think there is a need for action at all levels against zero-hours contracts.  When Sports Direct applied for planning permission for a new shop in Lochee I tried to move an amendment which would have banned zero-hours contracts.  I think that it is daft that the council can make statements against zero-hours contracts but when it comes to regulations which we impose we were powerless.  I asked the Scottish Government if they planned to do anything about this and was told that they did not.  The easiest and most straightforward place to get rid of zero-hours contracts would be at Westminster, only a Labour Government will achieve that.

I want to deliver decent jobs for everyone.