Scotland’s biggest trade union backs the right to indyref2
By Jim McFarlane, Unison NEC member and Dundee Unison secretary (personal capacity)
The decision of UNISON Scotland’s Council meeting to overwhelmingly support the right of the Scottish Parliament to call a 2nd independence referendum is a significant indicator of the mood amongst leading branch activists. UNISON’s Scottish Council is made up of elected delegates from every branch in Scotland.
Interestingly the motion was opposed by last year’s national President of UNISON Gordon McKay, who is a Labour Party member and chair of the union’s Labour link committee who voted to back Keir Starmer as Labour leader.
The full wording of the motion reads: “UNISON Scotland was party to the Scottish Constitutional Convention, Claim of Right and acknowledges the sovereign right of the Scottish people to determine the form of government best suited to their needs. UNISON Scotland supports the call for a second referendum, at a time to be determined by the Scottish Parliament, by means of either a section 30 order or an amendment to the Scotland Act as a satisfactory means of transferring the power over independence referendums.”
The motion was moved by Stephen Smellie on behalf of the Scottish Committee of UNISON. The debate had speakers for and against the motion, reflecting the different political outlook of some activists and branches at this stage. The prospect and threats of another five years of a Johnson-led Tory government along with a Tory negotiated Brexit was referred to. As was with the democratic right of self-determination.
Socialist Party Scotland members and UNISON activists Brian Smith (Glasgow UNISON, branch secretary) and Jim McFarlane (Dundee City, branch secretary) intervened in the debate to support the motion and highlighting the need to go further.
This shouldn’t be a debate just about flags or where power lies but also about whose interests those powers are used. We want the powers of the parliament to be used to end austerity in Holyrood and local councils, much of which is being delivered by SNP MSPs and SNP and Labour councillors.
We argued for the reversal of all cuts and the repaying of the money stolen from public services. It means real investment in jobs and services along with a programme of democratic public ownership of the economy.
The trade unions need to be central to the struggle for democratic rights. Consulting members and mobilising in the fight against austerity and being to the fore in organising protests, demonstrations and strike action when needed in the struggle for self-determination in Scotland.
Socialist Party Scotland fights for an independent socialist Scotland and the building of a new mass workers’ party based on the trade unions and the wider working class.
