SCOTTISH Labour has hit out at swingeing cuts to the Fair Work Initiative imposed by the SNP-Green Scottish government.

The latest Scottish budget slashes the scheme’s funding by £50 million, which would have been spent on supporting the efforts of the Fair Work in Social Care group.

The group had already agreed to prioritise winning sick pay and maternity and paternity pay before moving on to annual leave entitlement, pensions and ending zero-hour contracts, as it continues its fight for workers in the third and private sectors to gain the rights already enjoyed by their council colleagues.

Recent weeks have seen the stakes raised in the battle for improvements to Scotland’s social care as members of Unite in the  sector took their fight for £15 an hour and national collective bargaining to the heart of Scottish political power, with lobbying on the doorstep of Bute House, the First Minister’s official residence, and at parliament itself.

Now, speaking ahead of her address to the union’s Scottish regional conference and calling for a reversal of the cuts, Scottish Labour’s Jackie Baillie said: “This is just the latest SNP betrayal of Scottish workers.

“We cannot have workers who are in need of help being short-changed by a dysfunctional SNP government.

“The fact is that when it comes to supporting Scotland’s workers, the SNP cares more about photo opportunities than it does about making a difference.

“The SNP had a chance to improve the terms and conditions of social care staff. Instead,they have cut £50m, contributing to the deepening of the crisis in social care.

“Only Labour can kick the SNP and Tories out of power, deliver a new deal for working people and repeal anti-trade union laws.”

The Scottish government has been contacted for comment.