Meeting of the Parliament 12 March 2019
Almost a year ago, the Parliament was able to affirm, by backing a motion in my name, its support for the independent fair work convention’s ambition to make Scotland a fair work nation by 2025. Today provides us with an opportunity to reassert our support for that ambition.
In the debate a year ago, I committed to leading the publication of a “Fair Work Action Plan”, which sets out how the Government and our partners will take forward a range of measures to embed the principles of fair work in our society. I am pleased to confirm to Parliament that our action plan was published on 27 February. In pulling together our “Fair Work Action Plan”, we sought to work with others including the fair work convention, the Scottish Trades Union Congress, Business in the Community Scotland and individual businesses and organisations. I thank them for their support and assistance.
The evidence is clear that fair work is good for workers, good for business and good for Scotland. For workers, fair work brings increased security, better physical health and greater psychological wellbeing. For business, it provides the platform for a more engaged and committed workforce—workers who spot challenges and opportunities, solve problems, offer insight and ideas for business improvement and create value. Fair work can also drive productivity gains, release untapped potential and inspire innovation. It adds value to jobs and business, and it creates a stronger, more sustainable and inclusive economy.
Today’s debate offers us the opportunity to reflect on not only the progress that we have made on our journey, but the distance we must yet travel. We established the fair work convention in 2015 to offer us independent advice. We have endorsed the vision that is set out in its framework to embed fair work in workplaces across Scotland by 2025, which is built on the five dimensions that it identified, with fair work offering an effective voice, opportunity, security, fulfilment and respect.