Israel’s genocide in Palestine and wars against its neighbours would be impossible without constant Western support — so we must amplify the brave voices demanding a halt, argues DR RAMZY BAROUD
Trades councils must be prioritised
Trades councils are key to linking up the class struggle at a local level — all unions and union branches must affiliate, writes TAM KIRBY
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Scottish Trades Union Congress at Caird Hall in Dundee, April 2024
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WE have just come from a period in our calendars where it seems everything happens in two weeks.
The STUC congress, Workers’ Memorial Day, then May Day and for me the Voices of Scotland Readers and Supporters meeting this very night, which will be on the introduction of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, 50 years ago.
These are all very important events that trades councils across the country organise for every year.
This year in Fife I was once again so happy to meet our comrades who always attend and, most importantly, the new people who have not attended before, especially the younger ones.
This is due in part to the local work the trades council is involved in. We have been part of working with the new Fife Stop the War group and have spoken at three of its recent events. We are also helping to organise the national demonstration to commemorate the 1984 miners’ strike that will take place in Ballingry on June 5.
Our banner has been on every picket line in Fife in support of college lecturers, who are on strike again this month for nine days, the PCS driving examiners and workers at Fife Resource Solutions.
All of this and similar, carried out by trades councils across Scotland, is helping to pull new people into trades councils with new affiliates, but most importantly new activists who are becoming involved with these yearly events for the first time.
It clearly shows that when trades councils are active and out there organising at a local level we can see an increase in the number of new activists.
The STUC need to be commended because its focus on supporting trades councils has increased year on year.
As ever, I always have a wee complaint. Not all unions, or even branches, affiliate to their local trades council. I know this for a fact in Fife and assume it is similar elsewhere. This is something we need all unions to address.
It is not money we want, it is people — bums on seats — to help grow the movement and to take the pressure off the few who are inevitably left to do the organising. With more activists engaging we can ramp up the local work and make the yearly events even bigger.
My ask is this. If you are in a union branch find out if the branch is affiliated and, if not, work to make it happen. If you are a member of a trade union, you will be welcomed with open arms to attend meetings.
The STUC has a list of all the trades councils with contact details for the secretaries, so get in touch and help us all make next year’s events even bigger.
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