SNP pledge to introduce "living wage"
SNP has pledged to increase the wages of hundreds of poorly paid Highland Council staff, including cleaners and care workers, if the party wins power in the May elections.
Up to 300 frontline staff could find their wage packets boosted to at least £7.20 per hour.
The pledge is contained in the party’s manifesto, which was published this week.
SNP group leader Drew Hendry said that he was confident the “living wage” could be introduced as soon as possible following the election on 3rd May.
Street cleaners, crèche staff and care workers are among those likely to benefit and Councillor Hendry said it could apply to between 200 to 300 employees.
He said the wage increase would cost the authority extra, although a figure has not yet been calculated, but he was confident the move could be funded and would find favour with the public.
The staff are currently paid the national minimum wage, or close to, of £6.08 an hour, although Chancellor George Osborne announced in the Budget this week it would rise by 11 pence.
“It would be an expense, but it is something we think is fair,” said Councillor Hendry. “We have asked officials to identify the number of people who would benefit and we believe that we could achieve it pretty much right away if we get in.
“I think North residents would like to see everybody treated fairly and the living wage goes beyond the minimum wage.”
The commitment to a living wage was backed at the SNP’s national conference in Glasgow earlier this month and mirrors previous pledges made to Scottish Government and NHS staff.
The party’s Highland manifesto also includes a pledge to intensify efforts to persuade the UK Government to wipe the council’s mammoth £140 million housing debt.
The party would investigate new methods of building new social housing by using materials like timber, which Councillor Hendry claimed could cut construction costs by about half.
Councillor Hendry (Aird and Loch Ness) said it would also instruct roads staff to consult with local community councils on priority work to be undertaken and ensure more preventative repairs were carried out.
Responding to criticism that the manifesto lacked any actual figures and targets for the next council term, Councillor Hendry said it had proven difficult because, although the party had done a lot of preparatory work on the manifesto, it was difficult for the opposition group to access details of the authority’s day-to-day running costs.
It it unlikely the party will win outright control of the council, which is currently run by a coalition of the Independents, Liberal Democrats and Labour, although SNP is looking to build on its runaway success in the Highlands in the Scottish Parliament elections last year
The party is fielding two candidates in key wards and another rainbow coalition has been tipped to emerge after polling day.
The council’s current budget leader, Lib-Dem David Alston, said his party would also include the living wage in its manifesto to be published next month, but described the SNP’s other pledges as a “wish list”.
“There are no commitments to which they can be held to account,” said the Black Isle councillor. “The SNP don’t take local government seriously, this is not an election about national issues, this is about local issues.”
