In this photo illustration, A man holds a Saltire flag outside the Scottish Parliament on May 6, 2009 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Today marks the 10th anniversary of the first Holyrood election polling day, before the Scottish Parliament gained full powers on July 1, 1999.
A union has welcomed a pay deal for Scottish Parliament workers worth at least 2% a year.
Prospect, which represents Holyrood’s researchers, clerks and official reporters, said the two-year, above-inflation award had been unanimously accepted by its members.
The union said the deal demonstrated “greater scope” for negotiating public pay in Scotland.
The 2016-18 agreement increases the wages of those at the top of their pay scale by 2% in each year and provides a 1% increase on top of progression, worth at least 4.5% for those below their maximum.
It also includes an increase in public holidays, a commitment to the Scottish Living Wage and no compulsory redundancies for the two-year period.
Union negotiator David Avery said: “The parliament has recognised the hard work of its staff throughout the independence referendum, Smith Commission and now the Scotland Bill and awarded them a fair pay deal.
“This has been possible because the Holyrood parliament is not subject to public pay constraints set by either Scottish or UK ministers and therefore meaningful negotiations with the trade unions have been able to take place.”
