Ryan FowlerDeputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner visited Glasgow yesterday, pledging that the UK Government’s Employment Rights Bill will deliver significant improvements to workers’ rights across Scotland.
The Bill, described as the most significant overhaul of employment law in a generation, promises to tackle insecure work by ensuring Statutory Sick Pay is paid from day one, introducing guaranteed hours, and compensating workers for lost income due to last-minute shift changes or cancellations.
According to government data, around 100,000 Scottish workers on zero-hours contracts are expected to benefit from the new protections. Rayner also pointed to the planned pay increases, which will see full-time workers on the National Living Wage earn £1,400 more annually from April 2025, with 18 to 20-year-olds on the National Minimum Wage receiving a record rise of £2,500.
During her visit, the Deputy Prime Minister met with McAllister Litho, a Glasgow-based company recognised for providing secure work and flexible working conditions. She emphasised the government’s commitment to working with the Scottish Government, trade unions, and employers to implement the reforms effectively.
Rayner said: “This is a government on the side of Scottish workers. Our landmark plan to Make Work Pay has already delivered one of the biggest pay boosts on record – and it is working people in Scotland who will benefit the most. Our Employment Rights Bill will make work pay in Scotland and tackle the insecurity, inequality and low pay that have held back workers and businesses for too long.”
She added: “We know there is business appetite to get going with our reforms and create a more modern, healthier and productive workforce – with businesses like McAllister Litho already leading the way.”
