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”
Eddie McReadie
“Why bring up the issue of Forth Road Bridge steel? Does this man know anything about the steel industry in Scotland. Scottish steel was not used because no Scottish firms took part in the tender process. They didn’t take part because there are no Scottish firms which can make steel to the required specifications. They can’t make the steel because the UK government destroyed the industry in Scotland. Better Together? I think not.
Great to see Politicians and their ‘Familiars’ being put in their place. We have had to listen to their lies for too long.
I much prefer getting the ‘Truth’ from real people who were there and speak honestly. Well done Sir.
MincePie
The best thing that can happen for poorer people in the UK would be for an independent Scotland to show that there is a different way to run things from a westminster Labour/tory neo liberal agenda. Things will not change in the UK as long as there is a Westminster Labour/Tory hegemony in politics,
Richard McHarg
What a dreadful misrepresentation of the facts! Lies, lies and mere assertions based on lies!
How can anyone with a milligram of sense imagine for a second that being part of the UK will deliver any sort of social justice and equality for the citizens of Scotland, when it has singularly failed to do so to-date. This article is beyond comprehension.
The UK (UK PLC) is a state that exists to benefit its establishment, essentially its shareholders: the monarchy and its hangers-on, the bankers and the corporations, and their political stooges in the Tory, Labour and Lib Dem parties.
It’s even harder to stomach after learning that many trade union leaders are earning more than most politicians.
Grow-up, Mr. McHugh!
Iain Lawson
Doug this is not the only inaccuracy in this article which could be kindly described as pathetic. Any steelworker in Scotland, current or past go voted for staying with Westminster would need there head examined.
The Union destroyed Scottish steel, we didn’t vote for Margaret Thatcher but we got her and her privatisation drive destroyed our steel industry. We remember her choosing tea with English cricketer Ian Botham rather than meet the Gartcosh marchers who had walked from Scotland to London over the planned closure. That was bad enough but it was compounded when the Labour opposition cancelled the steel debate in the House of Commons in favour of a debate on Westland Helicopters.
Was it the few remaining Scottish Steelwokers who voted, or was it the UK Members? Was there even a vote?
Anyway as a Yes supporter and one of the Gartcosh marchers I would like to thank Mr Mchugh for his article which will be ridiculed the length and breadth of Scotland as a fine example of the depths a labour lackey will plummet to in an effort to seek personal advance.
jdmank
interesting,
now by no means am I an expert in steel production but is seems neither are you john
since it would appear the Scottish government had no choice but to go abroad for the steel for the forth bridge as the the type of steel required for it is no longer made in Scotland, thanks to Margaret Thatcher, while Germany and France invested in thier steel industries Thatcher saw a better way,
where everyone in Britain is in the service industry selling services to each other and noone MAKING anything
better together? your havin a girrafe mate
ps the minute you resort to lies, you’ve lost the argument