UNIONS and academics have hit out at the Scottish government’s fair work policy, calling for action from the SNP at Holyrood.

STUC general secretary Roz Foyer has backed calls from Gregor Gall, a professor in industrial relations, for greater powers to be passed to Holyrood and for Scottish ministers to match their rhetoric with commitments on worker protections. 

Ms Foyer and Professor Gall were speaking at an event organised by the Jimmy Reid Foundation think tank marking the publication of a critique of the Scottish government’s fair work policy.

The paper claims that work carried out to make Scotland a “fair work nation,” a flagship SNP policy, have been weak due to the lack of enforcement action which can be taken against employers. 

Currently those who are in receipt of public funding are expected to encourage fair work principles, but these are not enforceable and remain guidance only.

The foundation claimed that government talk is not matched by actions, with issues set to continue unless significant changes requiring the use of compulsion, particularly around public procurement, are implemented. 

The calls were backed by Ms Foyer, who said that this is a “make or break” time for the fair work agenda in Scotland. 

“We have a government in Scotland that is prepared to talk the talk on employment law, and there is no doubt that if employment law was devolved they would have more powers to be able to do something about that,” she said.

“But in the meantime there are a range of other levers already at the Scottish government’s disposal. We cannot afford to wait for further constitutional change before we start to put those measures in place.”

Prof Gall also questioned whether the government is doing all that it can with current powers.

The calls come as the SNP and the Scottish Greens unveiled a policy proposal that could underpin a co-operation government if it is approved by Green members. 

The academic said that Green commitments would secure trade union recognition in any public sector-funded workplace, but questioned whether the party’s standing was sufficient to implement this. 

He said that the existing fair work efforts have not been sufficient, and that it is “incomprehensible” that the policy as it stands will fully protect workers. 

A Scottish government spokesman said: “Fair work is at the heart of Scotland’s economic recovery and that ministers are doing all they can while employment law remains reserved to Westminster.”