Trade unions are about solidarity. The very name of our movement is symbolic of the fact that we are bound together by ties that go beyond nationality or location.
By John-Paul McHugh, Scottish officer at Community Trade Union
Trade unions are about solidarity. The very name of our movement is symbolic of the fact that we are bound together by ties that go beyond nationality or location.
We stand together with colleagues across the UK, campaigning as much for fairness in Scotland as we do in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
At a time of economic turmoil across the world now more than ever we need to stand together in the pursuit of social justice. Putting up barriers between workers in the rest of the UK makes no sense at all.
And workers across the whole of UK stand united in solidarity. Whether we are from Glasgow, Grimsby or Glamorgan, we know that by working together we can achieve so much more than we could apart.
Where is the social justice argument in abandoning colleagues south of the Border?
I am proud that Community members from across the UK have come together to say with a clear voice that we are better together and will campaign against Alex Salmond’s plan to break up the United Kingdom.
Working together with trade unionists across the UK we have achieved so much. From the National Minimum Wage, which the SNP failed to support, to health and safety legislation, pooling our resources across the UK has resulted in significant improvements for our workers.
Things are far from perfect, but the suggestion that workplace rights would be infinitely better in a separate Scotland is risible.
The complete failure of the SNP to support the Scottish steel industry when contracts were being handed out for the Forth Road Bridge replacement was a taste of what life would be like in a separate Scotland.
The SNP’s economic case for breaking up Britain appears to rest on cutting corporation tax for big business. When companies like Starbucks, Vodafone, Apple, Google and npower stand accused of avoiding tax on a grand scale, Alex Salmond wants to reduce their burden even further.
We are promised Scandinavian style public services and investment but Irish style levels of low taxation. It simply doesn’t stack up.
One area of significant concern to steel workers in Scotland is the impact of separation on pensions. Campaigners fought long and hard to establish the Pensions Protection Fund (PPF), the UK wide scheme which supports workers whose pension schemes go bust. What will happen to this if Scotland breaks away?
The failure of the SNP to provide any credible assurances on the PPF’s future is indicative of the flimsiness of their case.
Working together and pooling our resources is what the trade union movement, and Community in particular, is all about. Creating divisions on the basis of nationality is contrary to our whole world vision. We are so much stronger and better together as part of the UK.
49 Responses to “Trade unionism is not about creating even more divisions based on nationality”
sawney_hasbeen
Pretty depressing article.
Steel industry destroyed by Westminster? Blame the SNP.
Pensions destroyed by Westminster? Blame the SNP.
Large corporations helped by the head of HMRC and then given sweetheart deals to avoid tax. Blame the SNP.
I’m surprised JP didn’t call for drone strikes against Holyrood.
Still, a ‘NO’ vote will protect his salary and pension.
Disco Diva
I notice none of those who support a separate Scotland have commented on the SNP’s plans to slash corporation tax at a time when most are criticising big business for minimising their corporation tax… hardly seems socially justifiable when the working class are being penalised for the failures of the banking system (RBS and BoS included).
Lynsey
Why are you limiting solidarity among the workers to the UK? Why are you suggesting that cross-border solidarity is not an option post independence?
Lynsey
Perhaps because the SNP is only one of the parties that will participate in the post-independence election? Independence is about change, looking for a better, more responsive democracy – not about supporting the SNP and all of their policies.
Elliott Steven
In an independent Scotland we would still stand shoulder to shoulder and support colleagues in England and Wales. What BritNat tosh this article is spewing. In fact the Scottish trade unions would be stronger and able to offer greater help given that the Scottish economy will be gradually re-industrialised. Again, Little Britlander mentality all through this article. Trade unions have an international aspect to them and the trade unionists can stand shoulder to shoulder with those in France, Germany Spain etc.