General Council Meetings - The STUC

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42 Bi-annual Meetings The first Bi-annual meeting between the STUC General Council and the First Minister took place on Wednesday, 30 January 2008, in St Andrews House, Edinburgh. The STUC delegation comprised: Phil McGarry Eddie Reilly Fiona Farmer Linda Shanahan Matt Smith Ronnie Smith David Bleiman Lawrence Wason Harry Donaldson Grahame Smith Anne Douglas Dave Moxham Joy Dunn Stephen Boyd Harry Frew Ann Henderson John Quigley Alex Salmond MSP, First Minister, was accompanied by John Swinney MSP, Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Transport Infrastructure and Climate Change. Agenda items included: Government’s Economic Strategy; Skills Utilisation, Health Inequalities and Poverty; and the National Conversation. There was a wide ranging discussion on the Economic Strategy and the STUC response, including some consideration of energy policy issues. The First Minister indicated that progress would be made on convening a forum to explore issues facing the Coal Industry. In addition, consideration would be given to developing proposals on a workplace strategy. The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, John Swinney MSP, agreed to respond to the STUC regarding regional priorities. A discussion paper on Skills Utilisation and a briefing paper on Poverty and Health Inequalities had been tabled by the Government, along with responses from the STUC on Poverty and Health Inequalities. Following on from discussion on both topics, joint communiqués were agreed. These were issued immediately following the meeting. Both are now published on the STUC and the Scottish Government websites. The First Minister updated the meeting on the next stage of the National Conversation, outlining proposals for specific engagement with various Scottish institutions, including the STUC, with a view to a referendum on feasible identifiable options, in 2010. The STUC President reiterated the 2007 Congress position on the Powers of the Parliament, and the STUC’s ongoing discussions. SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT TRADE UNION WEEK Trade Union Week took place week commencing 14 January 2008. Building on the success of the December 2006 event, a more extensive programme of events was arranged, with input from many affiliates, the STUC projects, and the STUC Equalities Committees. The exhibition space available to us outside the Parliament Chamber was used to display a range of trade union materials, reflecting work on Skills and Lifelong Learning, Equality issues, and on Health and Safety in the workplace. More than fifteen events were organised, including for the first time a special Parliamentary Committee session on 15 January; Cathy Peattie MSP’s Business debate in the Parliament Chamber on ‘Young People in the Workplace’ on 16 January; and a lobby of the Scottish Parliament with FACK (Families Against Corporate Killing) on 17 January, which received good press coverage, and was very well supported by MSPs from across the political spectrum. Topics discussed at the events sponsored by affiliates included: ‘The Future of Scottish Broadcasting’ (Scottish Federation of Entertainment Unions); ‘Class Sizes in Scotland’s Schools’ (EIS); ‘Shared Services – the Trade Union Response’ (UNISON); ‘A Scottish Civil Service’ (PCS); ‘Prospect Scotland – Added Value’ (Prospect); ‘The Extension to the Emergency Workers’ Act – Safety of Betting Shop Workers’ (Community); ‘Scotland’s Ferry Services and the Island Communities’ (RMT, NAUTILUS, Unite: T&G Section, TSSA). The work of the STUC Skills & Lifelong Learning Team was showcased on 16 January with a drop-in session, with specific presentations on the Deaf Awareness Project ‘Sign Here’; Dyslexia in the Workplace; and a session with the TUC Education team. Young people were involved throughout the Week. On Tuesday 15 January, students from Leith Academy in Edinburgh participated in a presentation to MSPs, with trade union learning representatives to demonstrate the ‘Trades Unions Into Schools’ project. On Wednesday 16 January, the STUC Youth Committee facilitated a delegation visiting the Parliament, and affiliates were asked to nominate young workers to participate. The delegation was also able to attend the debate in the Parliament Chamber on ‘Young People in the Workplace’. The Scottish Parliament Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee and the Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture Committee held a joint session with the STUC on 15 January, the theme of which was ‘The Scottish Workplace and the Productivity Challenge’. This is covered in more detail elsewhere in this report, but it should be noted that it was a constructive and wellreceived session. The Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee has expressed interest in repeating this format for discussion with the STUC, on a range of topics, in future years. More information is available on the Scottish Parliament website. Subsequently, a wider discussion has moved forward considering the development of a ‘workplace strategy’ for Scotland. During the Committee session, it was also possible to pick up on an earlier STUC contribution to an Equal Opportunities Committee session in November 2007 on the challenges of mainstreaming equalities in the workplace. SCOTTISH TRADES UNION CONGRESS
An invitation to the Trade Union Week events had been extended to all staff working in the Parliament building. The Scottish Parliament staff working on equalities issues participated in some of the sessions during Trade Union Week, and the other Committee support staff also attended some events. MSP staff also participated, and their support with some of the practical arrangements was appreciated. Scottish Parliament staff side unions (FDA and PCS) provided materials for part of the Trade Union Week display, and representatives were present each day. The STUC Reception in the Garden Lobby on 16 January was extremely successful, with most affiliates, STUC guests, journalists, MSPs and Parliament staff represented. More than half of the MSPs were either in attendance or were represented by a staff member. Sponsorship for the Reception came, in part, from the STUC Skills & Lifelong Learning Team; the Holyrood Magazine; and Unity Trust Bank; and support for events during the Week also came from a number of affiliates. The sponsorship by Cathy Peattie MSP and support from her staff member, Dave Smith, was much appreciated. The STUC also ran an advertisement in the Holyrood Magazine; contributed to a supplement on Lifelong Learning; and the General Secretary was interviewed with regard to the UK Commission on Skills. National media covered the FACK Lobby well, profiling the experiences of the families and examining the trade union movement’s views on the legislation. National media also covered some of the topics raised by affiliates at their events during the Week. Subsequently, a number of union journals have carried favourable reports of Trade Union Week, as have a number of MSPs’ local newsletters. The STUC Secretariat is currently in discussion with the TUC Parliamentary Officer to consider how to assist in taking forward the TUC Congress policy on developing a similar initiative at Westminster. Katy Clark MP’s Early Day Motion tabled at Westminster, commending the 2006 Scottish Parliament Trade Union Week, had received the support of 176 MPs, a very high number, and indicative of the interest in trade union experience and views being taken into Westminster in a similar way. SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT AND MSPS Over the last year, the work of the STUC and affiliates has been recognised in a number of Members’ motions submitted in the Scottish Parliament, all of which have received cross party support: – S3M-01280 Access to Work for Young Deaf People: Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Scottish Labour) – S3M-00993 STUC Memorandum of Understanding: John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Labour) – S3M-00806 80th STUC Women’s Conference: Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Scottish Labour) GENERAL COUNCIL REPORT 2008 – S3M-00678 One Workplace Equal Rights: Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Scottish Labour) – S3M-00374 ICL Factory Explosion – Call For Public Inquiry: Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Scottish Labour) – S3M-01074 Young People in the Workplace: Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Scottish Labour) – S3M-00899 Say No to Racism: Sandra White (Glasgow) (Scottish National Party) – Motion S3M-00374 on the ‘ICL Factory Explosion – Call for a Public Inquiry’ was debated in Parliament on 20 September 2007, – and motion S3M-01074 on ‘Young People in the Workplace’ was debated in Parliament on 16 January 2008. More information is available on the Scottish Parliament website www.scottish.parliament.uk ENGAGEMENT WITH POLITICAL PARTIES Within the Scottish Parliament, one meeting was held with the Shadow Cabinet in January during Trade Union Week, and it has been agreed that there will be one such meeting during each term. The General Secretary met with Wendy Alexander MSP, the Labour Leader in the Scottish Parliament, in December. The Secretariat met with Patrick Harvie MSP, Green Party, on 15 May 2007. During Trade Union Week, the General Secretary met with Annabel Goldie MSP, the Leader of the Conservatives in the Scottish Parliament, and a subsequent meeting is being arranged with members of the Secretariat and representatives of the General Council. The General Secretary also met with Nicol Stephen MSP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the Scottish Parliament, in January 2008. The STUC was represented at Scottish Labour Party Conference in Aviemore, 28–30 March, with Phil McGarry, STUC President, invited to address Conference. SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT LABOUR TRADE UNION GROUP The Scottish Parliament Labour Trade Union Group continues to meet regularly, with various affiliates, STUC officials and members of the STUC secretariat represented. Since May 2007, agenda items discussed have included: the aftermath of the Scottish Parliament elections; STUC priorities for Congress year 2007/08; the Powers of the Parliament; ICL Stockline; the Living Wage Campaign; ongoing discussion on the Skills Strategy/ New Economic Strategy for Scotland; FE/HE funding; Pleural Plagues; a PCS presentation on public service issues; FDA industrial dispute; charitable status for colleges; the Budget, and the Parliamentary Commission on the Constitution. Reports are also taken from Labour Members from the various Scottish Parliamentary Committees. 43
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Page 71 and 72: Appendix Obituary Graham Arbuckle R
Page 73: 1989 Ronnie Webster (Aberdeen Trade

General Council Meetings - The STUC

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