Latest news with #RozFoyer
The National
a day ago
- Climate
- The National
Working during the Scotland heatwave? Here's what you need to know
Extreme temperatures can leave many feeling uncomfortable or unwell, and could pose a health and safety risk at work if the proper precautions aren't in place. While there's no law in Scotland which sets out a maximum temperature people can work in, workplaces are obligated to provide healthy and safe working conditions. On Friday, the Scottish Trades Union Congress – Scotland's largest trade union body – encouraged workers to report employers who do not comply with health and safety regulations during the heatwave. READ MORE: Scotland wants no part in further dangerous nuclear experiments What are my rights? Alongside a survey employees can fill out, the STUC relaunched its severe weather guide, which informs workers of their rights at work during periods of extreme weather and encourages people to ensure they have protections in place at their work. It includes carrying out a risk assessment on climate change – which has resulted in an increase in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events – as well as how to adopt a Fair Work Charter for Severe Weather, an agreement which was developed by the STUC and the Scottish Government. The STUC said it was "turning up the heat" on employers as it encouraged workers to report any incidents of poor employer practise during the heatwave. The body has previously issued guidance during other extreme weather events, such as Storm Eowyn in January, when it said workers felt "endangered" by their employers who had asked them to travel to work despite the red weather warning. Commenting, STUC general secretary Roz Foyer said: 'There is simply no excuse for employers to play fast and loose with the health and safety of workers as temperatures look set to rise across the country. 'Every workplace should put in the necessary mitigations to ensure that the wellbeing of their workforce, ranging from preventing unnecessary exposure to the sun to cooling mechanisms inside office spaces. 'We are encouraging all workers to know their rights ahead of this weekend's potential heatwave. They should not be put in harm's way and we would encourage everyone to complete our extreme weather survey so we may turn up the heat on the bosses who disregard the safety of their workers.
The National
a day ago
- Climate
- The National
People urged to report rogue employers during Scotland heatwave
Scotland is currently experiencing a period of extremely warm weather, with Friday being the hottest day of the year so far as some areas of the country saw highs of 28C. While temperatures are expected to cool slightly on Saturday, Scots can expect to see similar conditions. READ MORE: Scotland's largest private landowner proposes sauna plans for Loch Ness pub On Friday, the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) – Scotland's largest trade union body – relaunched its severe weather guide and survey, which informs workers of their rights at work during extreme weather. It said it was "turning up the heat" on employers as it encouraged workers to report any incidents of poor employer practise during the heatwave. The STUC has previously issued guidance during other extreme weather events, such as Storm Eowyn in January, when it said workers felt "endangered" by their employers who had asked them to travel to work despite the red weather warning. It has also developed a Fair Work Charter for Severe Weather alongside the Scottish Government, which recommends that all workplaces have a Severe Weather Policy in place to prioritise workers' safety. Commenting, STUC general secretary Roz Foyer said: 'There is simply no excuse for employers to play fast and loose with the health and safety of workers as temperatures look set to rise across the country. READ MORE: Scottish Government announces £23.5 million for active travel programmes 'Every workplace should put in the necessary mitigations to ensure that the wellbeing of their workforce, ranging from preventing unnecessary exposure to the sun to cooling mechanisms inside office spaces. 'We are encouraging all workers to know their rights ahead of this weekend's potential heatwave. They should not be put in harm's way and we would encourage everyone to complete our extreme weather survey so we may turn up the heat on the bosses who disregard the safety of their workers.
Spectator
02-06-2025
- Business
- Spectator
Union chief in second home hypocrisy row
Well, well, well. The general secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress has found herself at the centre of a rather embarrassing scandal. It transpires that Roz Foyer – who has repeatedly blasted second home ownership – owns a total of, er, five homes, including a flat in Spain as well as a £100,000 plot of land. Talk about hypocrisy, eh? As revealed by the Mail on Sunday, Foyer – who earns up to six figures a year – lives in a £280,000 four-bedroom home in north-west Glasgow. On top of this, however, she has a £240,000 flat in Edinburgh, a £145,000 terraced house in Glasgow, a £125,000 Spanish flat that she rents out for a staggering £1,000 a week and a £150,000 holiday cottage on the Isle of Jura. More than that, just three months ago Foyer purchased a plot of unused land for £100,000. Alright for some! The revelations may be a little painful for Foyer, who has publicly slammed second home owners for worsening the housing and cost-of-living crisis.
Daily Mail
31-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Calls for 'second homes' row union leader to quit as MoS reveals she has FIVE houses (and a £100k plot of land!)
The top union boss at the centre of a 'second homes' hypocrisy storm is facing calls to resign after it emerged she is sitting on a property empire worth £1MILLION. The Mail on Sunday can reveal Roz Foyer – who has repeatedly condemned second home ownership – has a total of FIVE houses, as well as a £100,000 plot of land. In a dramatic escalation of the hypocrisy row which has engulfed the general secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC), The Mail on Sunday has discovered two further properties in her portfolio. They include a flat in Edinburgh, a terraced house in Glasgow and a plot of unused land which she bought just three months ago. It comes after we revealed Ms Foyer, who earns up to £100,000 a year, has a Spanish flat which she rents out for £1,000 a week AND a holiday cottage on Jura, as well as her four-bedroom family home in the leafy suburbs of north-west Glasgow. That is despite Ms Foyer publicly blaming second home owners for exacerbating the housing and cost-of-living crisis. Now, amid a huge backlash which has seen the trade unionist branded a 'champagne socialist' and 'a sangria-sipping one too', she faces growing pressure to resign. Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay has questioned how she can continue in her role. He said: 'Scotland's leading trade unionist appears to have been more inspired by Donald Trump than Jimmy Reid. 'To secretly build a £1million property empire while railing against the supposed sin of second home ownership is hilariously hypocritical. Just another example of Scotland's self-righteous socialist establishment telling the rest of us how to behave – while doing the complete opposite. 'How Roz Foyer thinks she can continue in her role as self-styled workers' champion is a mystery and I expect her comrades might have something to say about it.' It comes after Mr Findlay joked on Friday that she clearly shared his party's values of working hard and reaping the rewards – and invited her to defect to his party. Ms Foyer was the first woman appointed to the top trade union job in Scotland and represents 500,000 workers. She has repeatedly spoken out about the impact second homes have on communities amid Scotland's 'housing emergency'. In July 2023, she called for a 300 per cent council tax premium on second and empty homes to tackle homelessness. Months later, she said: 'Scotland is facing a simultaneous housing and cost-of-living crisis putting an unbearable strain on working people. 'Second homes and short-term lets can have significantly negative impacts on communities, exacerbating these crises as well as undermining the local economy.' And in February 2024 she highlighted the number of empty properties and second homes in the Highlands, saying workers there faced 'an acute housing crisis'. But an investigation by The Mail on Sunday last week revealed Ms Foyer owns a property on the Isle of Jura with her husband, fellow union official Simon Macfarlane, which is valued at around £150,000. It comes after Holyrood last month heard how a proliferation of holiday homes was making life harder for public sector workers in Scotland – the very people that Ms Foyer claims to represent. Ms Foyer and Mr Macfarlane – a regional manager for the Unison union – are understood to spend most of their time with their two daughters at their Glasgow residence, which cost the family £280,111 in 2015. However, yesterday, the Scottish Daily Mail also revealed Ms Foyer has a holiday home in Spain that is worth around £125,000. Situated in the quaint harbour town of Puerto de Mazarrón in Murcia, the three-bedroomed apartment boasts a private balcony with panoramic views over the Mediterranean Sea and access to two communal pools. While they are not using the flat, Ms Foyer rents it out. A week's stay from June 18 to June 25 this year would cost around £920. Now, The Mail on Sunday can reveal Ms Foyer owns a further TWO properties. Official records show the trade union boss bought a terraced new-build in Glasgow in 2016 for £145,000. Additionally, she owns a 'light' and 'well-presented' two bedroom flat in Scotland's capital, which was bought last year for £240,000. Property brochures say the flat is in an 'ideal' and 'vibrant' location and has 'access to a residents' swimming pool, gym and sauna, a leafy view over a shared courtyard garden, and a secured and gated residents' car park'. The Mail on Sunday understands the properties are occupied by close friends and family. However, in a move which suggests the union official may be looking to expand her property empire even further, Ms Foyer purchased a plot of land in Glasgow for £100,000 in February. Ms Foyer last night defended her five homes, saying: 'I'm proud that the STUC has pushed for and secured a doubling of council tax on second homes and we remain committed to arguing for a proportional property tax. 'I can look in the mirror knowing that I'm actively arguing to increase my fair share to society. 'Fighting every day for fairer taxation and to spread wealth throughout the country brings its critics. 'As a woman from a working- class background, I won't be made to feel ashamed for legitimately owning property that my family and I, like of thousands of families across Scotland, have worked tirelessly for.'
Daily Mail
30-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Scots union boss has THIRD home - this time in Spain - despite condemning 'negative' effects of second homes
The second home hypocrisy scandal surrounding Scotland's top union boss deepened as it was revealed she owns a THIRD home in Spain. Roz Foyer - who has publicaly CONDEMNED the scourge of multiple home ownership - rents her luxury three-bedroomed apartment out for over £1,000 a week, the Mail can reveal. It comes after Ms Foyer, the general secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC), was last week accused of being a hypocrite after it emerged she owned homes in Glasgow and the idyllic isle of Jura. Ms Foyer, who earns up to £100,000 a year, has blamed second home owners for exacerbating the housing and cost-of-living crisis. Last week, the Mail on Sunday revealed she owned a holiday cottage on the Isle of Jura, as well as her four-bedroom family home in the leafy suburbs of the north-west of Glasgow. Now, Ms Foyer is under growing pressure to consider her position as head of the STUC, an umbrella body which oversees a coalition of 40 trade unions. Ms Foyer rents out the tastefully decorated three-bedroom apartment in sunny southern Spain. A week's stay from June 18 to June 25 this year would cost around £920. Situated in an apartment block in the quaint harbour town of Puerto de Mazarrón, the flat boasts a private balcony with panoramic views over the Mediterranean Sea. Although the beautiful Isla beach is just 950 yards from the property, the two well-kept communal swimming pools are even closer-by, should guests like to take a dip to cool off. The revelation comes as Europe is grappling with a housing crisis due to rising house prices and an influx of foreign buyers, prompting the minority socialist Spanish Government to push ahead with a 100 per cent property tax on second homes bought by non-EU member residents. Earlier this month Holyrood heard how a proliferation of holiday homes was making life harder for public sector workers here in Scotland - the very people that Ms Foyer claims to represent. Last night, Scottish Conservative finance and local government spokesman Craig Hoy said: 'After raging against the evils of second home ownership it was staggering to discover Roz Foyer herself had an island bolthole in Scotland in addition to her main residence. 'News that she has a third home in Spain simply beggars belief and highlights the levels of hypocrisy among left-wing union leaders. 'She's not just a champagne socialist she's a sangria-sipping one too.' Trade unionist Ms Foyer was the first woman in 2020 to be appointed to the top job in Scotland, representing 500,000 workers and has repeatedly spoken out about the negative impact second homes have on communities. In July 2023 she said that there should be a 300 per cent council tax premium on second and empty homes to tackle homelessness in Scotland. Months later, in December, she said: 'Scotland is facing a simultaneous housing crisis, a public sector funding crisis and a cost-of-living crisis putting an unbearable strain on working people. 'Second homes and short-term lets can have significantly negative impacts on communities, exacerbating these crises as well as undermining the local economy.' And in February 2024, in a newspaper column, Ms Foyer highlighted the number of long term empty properties and second homes in the Highlands. She wrote that 'workers in the Highlands are facing an acute housing crisis'. Ms Foyer co-owns her property on Jura with husband, fellow trade union official Simon Macfarlane, which they bought for £45,000 in 2012. The pretty cottage enjoys a lovely spot on Jura which is known as one of Europe's 'last lost wildernesses' and boasts a small population of around 220. Similar properties on Jura are valued at around £150,000. Ms Foyer and Mr Macfarlane - who is a regional manager for trade union Unison - are understood to spend most of their time with their two daughters at their residence on a private estate in Glasgow, which cost the family £280,111 in 2015. The Spanish home is in the Murcia region of Spain, close to Alicante. Title deeds show Ms Foyer and Mr Macfarlane purchased the home in August 2021 - just months after Ms Foyer was appointed the General Secretary of the STUC. Locals say the family have been seen enjoying trips around the town and walking along the harbour. While they are not using the flat, Ms Foyer rents it out on holiday letting sites under the banner: 'Stunning 3-Bed Apartment in Puerto De Mazarrón'. At almost 1000 square foot, the property is said to 'offer a spacious layout' and can house up to six guests in its two double bedrooms and one twin room - although it 'will not accommodate hen, stag or similar parties'. One review left in April hailed the apartment's 'perfect location', 'large kitchen' and 'beautiful huge terrace', however one guest lamented the fact there were no beds or shade around the pools and no air conditioning in the bedrooms. The socialist Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has said that foreign buyers - such as Ms Foyer - have purchased thousands of properties 'not to live in, but to make money from them which, in the context of the shortage that we are in, we obviously cannot allow'. He has presented a Bill to the Spanish parliament in the hope to impose a 100 per cent property tax on British and other non-EU citizens purchasing holiday homes, as well as an increase of VAT on short-term rentals. Meanwhile the issue of second home ownership in the Scottish Highlands and Islands was debated in the Scottish parliament earlier this month during a motion brought by Ross Greer of the Scottish Greens. The discussion heard concerns that a high concentration of second homes has caused house prices and rents to rocket and reduced the housing supply for local people. Scottish Labour MSP Carol Mochan said holiday homes were making it harder to recruit and retain public sector workers. She said: 'A lack of affordable housing affects not only individuals and communities but local businesses that want to attract workers. Very importantly, a lack of affordable housing also affects the recruitment of public sector workers.' She continued: 'I have strong evidence of that from the Borders area of my South Scotland region. 'Trade unions have told me that people are not coming to work in the area or are having to travel a long distance, which sometimes involves a journey of an hour or more, to get to their work. 'That is not sustainable. The Health, Social Care and Sport Committee has heard compelling evidence on the issue, in oral evidence and on a visit to the islands. 'The health boards have described the situation as a crisis for service delivery. It is a very important issue.' STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer defended owning a second and third home. She said: 'I'm proud that the STUC has pushed for and secured a doubling of council tax on second homes and we remain committed to arguing for a proportional property tax. 'I can look in the mirror knowing that I'm actively arguing to increase my fair share to society. 'Fighting every day for fairer taxation and to spread wealth throughout the country brings its critics. 'As a woman from a working-class background, I won't be made to feel ashamed for legitimately owning property that my family and I, like of thousands of families across Scotland, have worked tirelessly for.'
