ARRIVING in Dundee for the STUC in the midst of war and a world currently led by tyrants, a timid and tepid Scottish election, the rise and attempted normalisation of far-right politics and racism, not to mention the continuing cost-of-living crisis — otherwise known as an incomes and inflationary profiteering crisis — it would be easy to roll over in a dark corner and shield ourselves from the madness and badness of it all.  

But this all highlights why it is so important that we as trade unionists remain ardent campaigners for and believers in a better, fairer, more peaceful world.

For it is not working people who have dragged the world to this desperate state. It is our current political and economic system — designed to punish the vast majority and reward the tiny elite at the top. A system that we are told there is no alternative to.

Before the Scottish Parliament election even started we were told by the so-called great and good that the next Parliament would be facing a £5 billion black hole — and how further cuts were inevitable and that 11,000 public-sector jobs are to go.

An implicit message to the new band of MSPs due to be elected in a few weeks is not to get ideas above their station, like redistributing wealth, investing in public services and paying workers a decent wage that enables them to meet their basic needs. Shudder the thought that working-class people even have enough for the odd holiday and night out of enjoyment.

The argument goes that what’s needed is more cuts on top of the previous 16 years’ worth. There must be no challenge to foodbanks, homelessness, decimated council budgets, wage deflation and declining public services — hanging on only because of the commitment and dedication of workers forced to do more for less money. No, what’s needed, according to those looking down from their disconnected ivory towers, is more austerity, further decline and insecurity and even fewer opportunities for working-class communities.  

Rather than roll over, as workers, we have to redouble our efforts to challenge the injustice of it all. The trade union movement must be at the heart of presenting an alternative and that, as an old STUC campaign said, there is a better way than this.

At Unity Consulting Scotland, we have spent the last five years supporting the work of trade unions amplifying the voices of their members to use the collective force of their voices to make the arguments that win the changes they need.

Our work, alongside many of the unions attending Congress this week, highlights the many ways we contribute to the labour and trade union movement.

We have always said that the battle facing our class is an unfair one and that our movement and the workers it represents are massively outresourced by those who own and control the economy. That is what drove us to create Unity Consulting in the first place. We were established to help with trying to redress that balance by offering support that complements and enhances the work already being done by affiliated unions.

Since starting, our record is one that we are justifiably proud of. We have worked with train drivers, posties, prison officers, civil servants, food workers, local government employees and firefighters helping them develop policy, deliver campaigns and secure positive results.

In so doing, protecting workers and the people who depend on the services they provide. A classic case in point was working with Aslef, we campaigned relentlessly to scrap peak fares — a de facto tax on workers — as a result  peak rail fares were scrapped once and for all. This was a policy proposal that came from front-line train drivers during research we conducted to build the case for a “People’s ScotRail” after the failure of the privatised model.

Currently, we are supporting the Right to Food Commission to push for right to food legislation at Westminster and across the devolved administrations. We are also supporting the FBU in its fight against further cuts to the fire service, the POA with its 68 is too late campaign and for improved health and safety for fish processing workers at Mowi and across the Scottish salmon industry and the CWU to highlight the decline in postal service standards across the country.  

While the world right now can be a thoroughly depressing place, the opportunity we have to work with so many unions on campaigns that help their members is providing some bright light in these dark times.

We arrive at Congress this year in good heart, committed to the fight. Campaigning works, and together we all must keep going. There is an alternative: we just have to present it and fight like hell to achieve it. All the unions we work with will agree that is exactly what we do.

For more information visit unityconsulting.scot.