LABOUR'S plan for fairness at work will not mean a ban on all zero hours contracts, Jim Murphy has said.

The Scottish Labour leader said a distinction had to be made between those which were exploitative and those which were not.

He said the exploitative contracts would be banned but others could continue.

Mr Murphy revealed Labour's Workplace manifesto with legislation on "exploitative zero hours contracts" the central policy.

Mr Murphy said: "These exploitative zero hours contracts, they're abusive and we'd encourage and try and persuade employers to stop using them, but ultimately we are calling time on these exploitative zero hours contracts.

Because when Labour wins on May 7 we will pass a law to abolish them once and for all."

This week the Evening Times revealed how Glasgow City Council and its ALEOs employed almost 1700 people on zero hours contracts, an increase of 20% in a year.

The SNP said it left Labour with no credibility on zero hours contracts.

Mr Murphy said whoever used them they would be banned but said not all zero hours contracts were "exploitative".

When asked about the City Council use, he said: "What we've said is it's the abolition of these exploitative zero hours contracts.

"You'll see in our manifesto and in other documents the way in which the exploitative zero hours contracts are described are that people a are called in a short notice, their shift can be cancelled at short notice they can be forced to work hours that they are non contracted on and when all of that happens they get no compensation, So that's what we'll change.

"No matter where they are no matter who carries them out no matter who the employer is. If they are exploitative zero hours they will come to an end."

He said it had been carefully considered and different types of contracts and worker experience taken into account.

Mr Murphy added: "We looked this in terms of zero hours contracts more generally. We wouldn't abolish all of them.

"We would abolish all of the exploitative ones and there's a clear definition of what the exploitative ones are."

The party leader didn't discuss the nature of the council contracts but drew a distinction between two of the country's biggest retailers B& Q and Amazon.

"When we looked at this, we looked at some of the pensioners who work at B&Q and they said they valued the fact they weren't compelled to work a certain number of hours so there's that flexibility. "But where an employer compels someone to work, forces them into work hours that are outside of contract, cancels shifts at an hours notice and the contract doesn't give them any compensation then all that comes to an end.

"There's a difference between what B&Q might do with some of their pensioner employees and some of the big companies like Amazon have done. There's a difference how those people are treated and People shouldn't be abused or exploited at work."

The Manifesto on fair work also includes increasing the National Minimum wage to £8 an hour by 2019 and extend payment of the Living Wage.

Labour said it will abolish the Tribunals fee system to ensure all workers have access to justice on employment matters.

The party said it will require companies to publish the ratio of pay between the highest earners compared to the average salary in the organisation.

A plan to stop companies using agency workers to undercut wages will also be a first Queen's Speech of a Labour government.

Mr Murphy added: "This is a plan for the hard pressed, hard working mums and dads who only want a fair deal.

"It is a plan for the young Scots, who are ambitious for their future, but have been let down by both the SNP and the Tories.

"And it is a plan for Scotland's economy, because when working families succeed, our country succeeds."