A Bill which would create an advisory council on workplace injuries will be debated in Holyrood next week, as the STUC pushes for Government backing.
The Scottish Employment Injuries Advisory Council Bill was proposed by Labour MSP Mark Griffin.
The legislation would create an independent body tasked with commissioning research and to make recommendations to Government on support available for those who can no longer work due to a workplace injury.
According to the Labour MSP, ex-football players with dementia, care workers with long Covid and firefighters who have cancer will benefit.
The advisory council, if the legislation is passed, will also feature employee and employer representatives.
The Scottish Government and the Social Justice and Social Security Committee at Holyrood have opposed the general principles of the Bill.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville, appearing before the committee in November, said the Government planned to hold a “wide-ranging” consultation on how workplace injury support should look after it is devolved from the UK Government.
Ahead of the debate, a motion has been tabled before the STUC conference in Dundee early next week in support of the Bill.
STUC general secretary Roz Foyer said: “The Scottish Government has a unique opportunity to build a welfare system fit for the 21st century with the voices of workers at its heart.
“They must not let them down. By rejecting Mark Griffin’s Bill, they would be sending out the message that workers injured at their work and now in need of assistance from the state can be discarded or ignored.
“We cannot allow that to come to pass.
“The chance is there for government to work in partnership with our movement on this. We all want to get it right for Scotland’s workers.
“We stand ready to make this Bill a reality if the Government pledges to work in good faith with unions.
“We must provide justice and compassion to injured workers in their hour of need and the Scottish Government can play their part. We would implore them to do so.”
Mr Griffin said: “The Scottish Government must listen to the calls of the STUC, ensuring a revamped injury benefit meets the needs of 21st century workers.
“The clock is ticking, and the voices of workers must be heard.”
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “I share the ambition to modernise the industrial injuries scheme and ensure it meets the needs of the people of Scotland. This Bill would not improve outcomes for people who rely on this scheme or address concerns raised.
“The industrial injuries scheme was introduced in 1948 and is almost entirely paper-based. Due to this complexity and the range of views on the scheme, it would be more appropriate to consider the establishment of a statutory advisory body alongside other fundamental questions about the future of the scheme.
“We will shortly launch a consultation on employment injury assistance, our proposed replacement for the UK industrial injuries scheme. I am committed to acting on the outcome of the consultation.”
According to the Department for Work and Pensions, the UK industrial injuries scheme provides no-fault benefits for disablement because of an accident at work, or because of one of over 70 prescribed diseases known to be a risk from certain jobs.
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