TWO political organisations in the area are putting pressure on North Ayrshire Council to increase the wage of modern apprentices.

The Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) and Respect Independence Socialism Environmentalism (RISE) supporters in North Ayrshire are presenting a petition to the council calling upon them to start paying their modern apprentices the same minimum living wage paid to all other employees.

Their pay has recently been raised to £3.30 an hour but the group believe that it is still far too short of the £7.85 paid to all other council staff.

The SSP have been campaigning locally over the issue for the past six months after first highlighting the matter a few years ago.

SSP local organiser and former UNISON Branch Chairperson, Colin Turbett said: “North Ayrshire Council decided to look at this some time ago but remitted it to the committee looking at the living wage.

"This has been in place since April of this year but the modern apprentices, about a hundred each year, seem to get forgotten. However we now know that due to public pressure the matter is again on the agenda and the Cabinet were scheduled to consider a report on the matter on November 24.

"We don’t know what this proposes but they need to know that approaching 500 local people have signed our petition calling on the Council to implement the living wage for all its employees.

"I used to work alongside apprentices and know how committed and hardworking they are, doing much the same kind of work as their colleagues, often at the front line dealing with the public.

Mr Turbett also criticised the council for their record on employing youngsters in the area.

He said: "I also know that in North Ayrshire where youth unemployment is at scandalous levels, many would work for nothing if they thought there was a chance of a job with the council at the end of it. However the council should not be taking advantage of North Ayrshire’s massive youth unemployment problem to get work done on the cheap as the government pay all the current £3.30 and North Ayrshire Council contribute nothing to the pay these young people receive.

"They have a duty as the main employer in this area to offer a good start to young people and the public seem to agree with us. We are hoping that our petition will be considered at the Scrutiny and Petitions Committee on November 25 and that the full council in December will agree to at last pay modern apprentices what they deserve.

"The SNP administration need to put their money where their mouth is.”

A North Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: "We have made a significant commitment to supporting local young people though the delivery of our Modern Apprenticeship Programme – benefiting over 300 16-19 year olds over the past three years.

“Each year we invest more than £700k to deliver the programme, which includes paying for the apprentices wages – we do not rely on any government grants, as the SSP claim in their statement.

“We have a strong track record of providing excellent opportunities for young people to get the experience and training they need at a time of high unemployment and we will continue to do so.

“Following a recent review of our programme, a number of key recommendations, including a pay increase, will be put forward to the Cabinet for consideration at a future meeting."