THE STUC backed a new deal for workers today, but vowed to fight on for the devolution of employment law.

The final day of congress got underway with a session on employment rights, their erosion, and how to boost workplace power in the years ahead.

Over the previous three days, congress had repeatedly heard from delegates across the country as they detailed the effects of decades of legislation that has sought to curtail trade union activity, including the most recent Strikes (Minimum Services) Act.

In a composite motion moved by general council, congress backed the New Deal for Working People proposed both by the TUC and by a Labour Party widely expected to win power at the next general election.

Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner told congress last year that the next Labour government would move within 100 days to repeal the latest anti-trade union legislation, end zero-hours contracts, ban fire-and-rehire tactics, and expand collective bargaining — pledges repeated by Scottish labour leader Anas Sarwar on Monday.

But Unite Scottish Secretary Derek Thompson told congress that Labour must be held to its promises and pushed further to devolve employment law.

Moving the motion, he told congress: “Consigning the anti-trade union legislation and the Tory Party to the history cannot come too soon.

“But the devolution of employment law must be a number one priority for the next Labour government.

“Scotland is the centre of zero-hours contracts in the UK, with 3.8 per cent of workers with no set hours, but we could do something different.

“With devolved powers, Scotland could instead create fair and robust employment rights which could shine like a beacon across the UK.”