We have seen reports of employees in the hospitality sector being very poorly treated in Dundee recently. I believe that Dundee City Council as the landlord for many hospitality businesses and indeed as the licensing authority should be looking for ways in which it can ensure best practice in the hospitality sector. I believe that a very useful starting point would be for Dundee City Council to sign up to support Unite the Union's Fair Hospitality Charter. I have requested that officers of the council find a way to allow me to put this forward to the council as a matter of urgency. The Labour Group are very clear that those working in the hospitality sector should be treated fairly.
Dundee City Council is the landlord of a number of properties where pubs, restaurants and cafes operate. I do not think that it is good enough for Dundee City Council to merely say that we only have a financial relationship with these organisations. If that is the case what other sorts of business would we tolerate? I think that the council wants to develop Dundee as a visitor destination if that is so then we need to make sure that the hospitality sector is a good employer. I want to investigate whether there are any ways in which the licensing board could include whether a bar or restaurant was a fair employer into its deliberations over licenses, or at the very least bring the Charter to the attention of all licensees and ask them how they measure up to the Charter.
Dundee City Council has already signed up to the Fair Work Charter and as part of that process the council said that it would 'lead by example' and 'use our influence to encourage other employers in the city to develop similar Fair Work Charters.' I believe that supporting the Fair Hospitality Charter gives Dundee City Council the opportunity to demonstrate that the previous commitment was not merely warm words but a genuine commitment to making the economy of Dundee fairer.
The Labour Group on Dundee City Council is very pro-business, we are for businesses which pay their workers well and treat them fairly. We want to create a city where everyone is treated fairly and rewarded for their work at an agreed rate and on time. I hope that Dundee City Council will sign up to the Fair Hospitality Charter before too long.
