STUC President Lilian Macer opened the Scottish Trades Union Congress in Dundee on International Workers’ Memorial Day today with a message of solidarity to workers at home and abroad — and a challenge to politicians in Holyrood and Westminster.

Ms Macer, Scottish regions secretary for public sector union Unison, told congress that workers across the country had voted for change at last year’s general election, but “instead, what we see is a Labour government lurching to the right with eye-watering cuts to the welfare state, plunging more families into poverty, increasing the need for food banks and scapegoating disabled people as a drain on the public purse.

“The lack of political will at both Holyrood and Westminster to tackle these challenges is staggering.”

Speaking ahead of SNP First Minister John Swinney’s afternoon address to congress, she called for action on Scotland’s crumbling public services, warning: “We have the longest NHS waiting lists since devolution.

“The national care service promised: not delivered. Care workers’ sectoral bargaining: not delivered

“And after taking the brunt of cuts over the last 15 years, local government is having an existential crisis.”

Emphasising the STUC’s support of the workers struggle throughout the world, Ms Macer added: “We open congress today on International Workers Memorial Day, remembering all workers across the world killed and injured — including the 15 health workers killed in Gaza by the Israeli military and buried in a mass grave.

“And, as we always do, we reaffirm our commitment to fight for the living.

“The next few days at congress is our opportunity to set out our vision for a fairer, more equal Scotland — one that puts investment in public services at its heart.”