UNISON, the public services union, is urging MSPs from all parties to support Mark Griffin MSP’s Employment Injuries Advisory Council (SEIAC) Bill, which is being debated in the Scottish Parliament today (Thursday).
The bill proposes the creation of a new council of experts to help deliver the devolved employment injury benefit. This council would recommend which occupations and conditions this should cover.
The union says the existing system is not fit for purpose. At present just 7% of industrial injury benefit claimants are women, so this is a unique opportunity to modernise the process, ensure it reflects modern workplaces and tackle the discrimination inherent to the system, according to UNISON.
UNISON Scotland welfare committee chair Roz Kyle-Ronan said “The devolution of the employment injury benefit is an opportunity for the Scottish government to modernise the system and review who should receive it.
“The old system was designed for men. It systematically ignores modern workplace injuries, and the illnesses women experience.
“A new council advising government could consider injuries women face when delivering social care, education and health services. It would also ensure debilitating health issues like long covid are recognised by an employment injury benefit system that is fit for modern workplaces.”