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”
Donald Kerr
“Alex Salmond’s plan”
“break up”
“separation”
blah, blah.
“pooling our resources across the UK has resulted in significant improvements for our workers”
Yeah, right. Pensions? wages? Anti-trade union laws never repealed. Oh, give me more please.
“One area of significant concern to steel workers in Scotland is the impact of separation on pensions.”
Yeah, right. like this is not happening under a Westminster Government: http://www.fbu.org.uk/?page_id=131
“We are so much stronger and better together as part of the UK.”
Yeah, right. Prove it.
As a trade unionist, I do not agree with this article in any way, shape or form. The Scottish left wants independence but this old-shcool, anti-snp hatred (Labour) has had its day. You are out of touch and living in the past, John.
P.S. Glad that you haven’t deleted the comments and counter argument.
David Myers
Then perhaps you should open your eyes, because there are comments there.
Bill Cowan
Mince, pure and simple mince.
Bugger (the Panda)
Why do I feel that this little piece has been written as “not for publication in Scotland”
Every blessed point that Jean-Paul McHugh lays out has been, quite rightly, rubbished time and time again in various blogs over the last few years.
It smacks of desperation that the No campaign and their supporters really cannot give one simple and cogent reason why Scotland would be better off within the Union than to break it and leave.
Same regurgitated tripe.
The historical labour movement deserve better than those holding the torch nowadays.
Cheer up, maybe they will get better in an independent Scotland, or at least the next generation could.
Joe Middleton
The choice is between staying with the UK and David Cameron’s Tories or similar with the possible malign influence of UKIP also involved (if Ed Miliband gets in he will change nothing substantial just like Blair) or having a democratic opportunity to choose something better after independence.
The SNP may not be perfect but they are politically consistent and they are only around a year away from possibly acheiving their ultimate objective. Labour have sold their political soul to the Tories to the extent that there is little point putting them into power. Trade unionists should consider whether they can do better than part-funding a party which kicks their teeth at every opportunity.
If there is a left of centre government in Scotland post independence (and the SNP Government is already far to the left of Labour so this is highly likely) then this will inspire other countries by example just as Norway and Denmark do already.
Scotland is a country in it’s own right and if England wants left of centre policies they need to start voting for them themselves.