I am a staunch supporter of the principle of trade unionism and always have been. I think that it is fundamentally important that workers have the maximum protection in the workplace and that our unions have played a hugely important part in securing many of the basic laws that protect employees which we take for granted today.
However, I have always had qualms with the way in which many of the trade unions in Scotland have given blind loyalty to the Labour Party. The manner in which they have continued to pay homage to Labour, not to mention swell the coffers of the Labour Party, even whilst they have governed against their interests and policies. Labour have pursued the Private Finance Initiative almost religiously despite trade union concerns. Labour has done little to reverse the privatising tendencies of their Tory predecessors (take air traffic control as an example). And the UK continues to have the longest working hours and least public holidays of Western Europe.
Therefore, the persistence of the unions in supporting Labour has been annoying to say the least.
It was therefore hugely heartening to hear that Scotland's biggest union Unison abstained on a vote at the general council of the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) on whether or not to back Labour in this election. I have always reckoned that Unison was perhaps the most loyal of all the trade unions to the Labour Party. Therefore their failure to back Labour in today's vote is a huge indication of the level of disaffection that exists amongst many trade unionists with the current direction of the country.
I should point out that the downside is that if Unison had voted against the backing of Labour then the STUC would not have given its support, as despite their abstention the vote went through by a majority of one. Still it is a step in the right direction and one which I imagine that many grass roots members of Unison will welcome.
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Did I not hear the snp quietly softening its views on PFI recently? Anyway, I agree that the unions’ blindly following labour is ridiculous when the labour party has moved so far to the right. Hopefully this indicates some of them are beginning to see sense. They’re still pretty critical about independence though, and I don't see the snp picking up much in the way of disgruntled trade union's backing.
No, you did not hear the SNP softening any of its views on PFI. We merely pointed out that existing contracts will not be cancelled despite what the Labour Party might be telling the people. We are still 100% resolutely committed to the introduction of our not for profit trust scheme as an alternative to PFI.
The leadership of the unions may be critical of indepedence, but I don't think this reflects the views of the wider trade union membership, just in the same way that I don't think their views on the Labour Party are reflected by the same leaders. It has more to do with the blind loyalty to Labour that I have already written about.
the key word i picked up on there is alternative, presumably you're leaving it to councils or other public bodies to choose to use your trusts. might not work if the councils are still labour controlled (or at least labour led). but back to the trade unions, when the number of scots in favour of independence fluctuates as dramitcally as it does (if the polls are accurate) they could be key in undermiming the yes vote in a independence referendum.
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