New study reveals 'shocking' scale of unfairly treated workers in Inverclyde
A NEW study has revealed the 'shocking' volume of cases dealt with by a Greenock centre which supports workers who have been treated unfairly by employers.
Research by Strathclyde University academics found that more than 6,000 people sought the help of the Inverclyde Advice and Employment Rights Centre over the course of 10 years.
The study of the centre's work found that workers in social care, retail, call centres and hospitality were particularly vulnerable, especially those in low-paid jobs and where there is no trade union representation.
The research was carried out over 18 months by Phil Taylor, emeritus professor at the Department of Work, Employment and Organisation, part of the university's Strathclyde Business School, and senior lecturer Dr Kendra Briken.
They say the Inverclyde centre's work is a model that should be rolled out across Scotland.
Jim McCourt with Professor Phil Taylor and senior lecturer Kendra Birken, who carried out the research into the centre's work. (Image: George Munro)
Professor Taylor said: "The sheer volume of cases is shocking. Over 10 years, 6, 209 Inverclyde clients sought help from the centre between 2014 and 2023."
He added that people came from every sector but particularly those areas where there was no representation from a union, who as a result were vulnerable and suffered abuse in terms of their rights as workers.
The academic said: "This was prominently among the social care sector, retail, call centres and hospitality, primarily in low paid jobs.
"These are vulnerable workers who were subject to actions that were illegitimate."
More Inverclyde news headlines...Professor Taylor said the main issues concerned pay, unpaid wages and other payment issues, as well as unfair dismissal, breaches of employment codes and practices, and discrimination on grounds of disability, gender and age, often compounded by mental health.
Jim McCourt, manager of the centre, said: "This is the only centre of its kind in Scotland and using this information, we would like to see more centres of this nature being rolled out across Scotland."
He also commended Inverclyde Council for its financial investment in the centre, which has been providing specialist advice and guidance on employment rights to people across Inverclyde since 1987, and says the study's findings provide a snapshot of what is happening across the country.
Mr McCourt says economic factors are making life harder for workers - not just a lack of jobs overall, but also low rates of pay which make it difficult for people to travel elsewhere to work.
Jim McCourt, left, with Nicola Provan and Eddie Macdonald from the Inverclyde Advice and Employment Rights Centre. (Image: George Munro) He said: "We're in the grip of a mental health crisis. You have to be a very strong person to go through a tribunal on your own.
'There are occupational health issues. People are suffering from work-related stress due to performance management or find it difficult to make a claim if the employer says they have done something wrong.
"They have a right, but there is a gap between having that right and being able to enforce it."
READ MORE: Inverclyde employment rights service hails new plans to give workers more protection
Professor Taylor said: "Inverclyde is a pioneer, and I am adamant that the conclusion from our report is that this centre should be a model to be rolled out across Scotland.
"Inverclyde is not unique in employment issues, as an area of deindustrialisation and left-behind regions, but is unique in being able to address these issues."
He added: "There is a growing appetite for looking at employees' rights. There is an employment rights bill currently passing through parliament to fight for fairer treatment at work and for workers rights to be upheld.
"Centres like this are crucial in helping people in the frontline."
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