STUC delegates slammed the attacks on
equalities, employment rights and trade
union freedoms and backed a UNISON led
composite to continue the fight for the
repeal of all anti-trade union laws.
STUC reiterated its support for the
Mather Commission “Working Together”
report and pledged to make sure that the
fundamental principles of trade union
rights, including the right to strike,
are at the heart of the Fair Work Convention.
In moving the composite, UNISON Scotland’s
Depute Convener, Stephen Smellie slammed
the approach of the Tories at Westminster.
“We all know that the Tories if
re-elected will move to further limit
the rights of working people in the workplace
and further restrict the ability of worker’s
collective organisations, trade unions,
to represent them against the employers.
“If Cameron does win then workers
will face the worst of all worlds –
global capitalism being given free-reign
to pick off our public services through
TTIP, further devastating austerity policies
and a legally constrained and weakened
trade union movement to curtail any resistance
either industrially or politically.
“We would be like a boxer in the
ring with our hands tied to the ropes
with two opponents knocking lumps out
of us,” warned Stephen.
In contrast, he welcomed the Fair Work
Convention but made it very clear that
this “will not stop us looking sounding
and acting like trade unions.”
“We will seek to improve our members’
conditions security and wages through
collective bargaining. But we will when
necessary, and when members agree, take
industrial action where the collective
bargaining fails to produce a fair and
reasonable outcome,” promised Stephen,
adding, “This is what UNISON are
doing at the moment in Glasgow.”
Congress had already warmly welcomed
representatives of the 70 UNISON members
in the Glasgow Homelessness Team who are
on indefinite all out strike at the moment.
“Hopefully Glasgow City Council
will be on the phone today to re-engage
in negotiations which they have so far
refused to do,” said Stephen.
He reminded delegates that for any partnership
to work there needs to be full and equal
rights on both sides.
“In industrial relations partnerships
this means trade unions having the right
to act independently, for workers to be
able to engage collectively and be recognised
by the employer, for unions to be able
to take industrial action and for workers
and their unions to act in solidarity
with one another.
“It means all the rights that have
remained restricted or banned since Thatcher’s
day. All the rights that any aspiring
Labour Prime Minister who wants to come
to a trade union conference and ask for
support should be unequivocal in stating
their commitment to,” said Stephen.
And he also issued a challenge to the
Scottish Government to make good their
“fine words” and make sure
that trade unions are given greater representation
on public bodies.
“We expect to see greater representation
from Black Minority Ethnic communities,
more women and, yes, more trade unions,”
said Stephen, expressing disappointment
that the opportunity was missed to have
a trade unionists on the new Food Standards
Scotland Board; or that the new Health
and Social Care Integration Boards do
not give trade unions a guaranteed seat.
“Congress, we have made progress
here in Scotland. We can do business here
in Scotland. But there is still some way
to go. The opportunities that present
themselves in Scotland, as well as the
threats from continuing anti-union laws
and attitudes at a UK level present challenges
for us.
“Our organising, our development
of our activists, our willingness to stand
up for what is right and what we believe
in are all as important today as they
have ever been.
“Let us rise to those challenges.”
