As Labour’s by-election candidate boasts he and Anas Sarwar are unveiling a billboard about acting against the scourge of low pay in Rutherglen and Hamilton West, the Scottish Socialist Party has branded his claim as a lie to voters.
SSP candidate Bill Bonnar said:
“Poverty pay is indeed the scourge of this area, and of the whole country. When 1.3 million Scots literally cannot afford the cost of living, according to latest figures from Citizens Advice Scotland, and an absolute majority of those in poverty are people in jobs, poverty pay and insecure employment are indeed the curse of the modern working class.
“That’s why the SSP has been on the streets and in our trade unions fighting for an immediate £15-an-hour national minimum wage, for all, regardless of age.
“That’s why we are campaigning for outright abolition of all zero hours contracts, because every single one of them is exploitative – and campaigning instead for a guaranteed minimum 16-hour contract for every worker who wants one.
“That’s why the SSP pioneered the campaign for full average wages for every sick worker, and Statutory Sick Pay of £320-a-week, so workers don’t have to choose between ruining their health and financial ruin.
“In fact, my own by-election Campaign Manager, Richie Venton, was victimised and sacked by the multinational IKEA when he successfully fought – as their elected workplace union convener – for full average wages for 13,000 workers – rather than being dumped on £95-a-week Statutory Sick Pay – at the height of Covid. Where were Anas Sarwar and the Labour candidate then? They never lifted a finger to defend this union convenor from victimisation.
“Labour have absolutely no intention of implementing full average wages or £320 Statutory Sick Pay for workers, as agreed by TUC and STUC Congresses.
“They have no intention of scrapping all zero hours contracts, having recently retreated to the weasel words of only banning ‘exploitative’ ones – as if they are not all exploitative.
“And Labour has point blank refused to implement a £15-an-hour minimum wage if elected to government, at their recent National Policy Forum, which provoked the anger of trade unions demanding that policy be part of Labour’s manifesto, including UNITE the union.
“Billboards Labour can afford, but workers who cannot afford to live are being lied to on a grand scale by Labour. They should come clean, tell the truth on their billboards – or take them down in the interests of honesty.
“The only party campaigning on these anti-poverty measures is the SSP.”
For more information, or to interview Bill Bonnar, contact SSP Campaign Manager Richie Venton on 07828278093 or richieventon@hotmail.com