2021 in review: Capitalism is crisis – join the fight for socialist change
2021 was a very significant year for Socialist Party Scotland. We found growing support for our party and socialist programme. There were many highlights, not least the Scottish parliamentary election campaign of the Scottish Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition, the victories for the left in a number of unions, including Unison, Unite and NIPSA. The re-launch of the Youth Fight for Jobs campaign. Strike action by hundreds of Glasgow cleansing workers during COP26. Raising the banner of socialist change to end climate change, to name just a few. We cannot cover all the major political events and highlights of our work in 2021, but here are some of them.
JANUARY
2021 began with Scotland in the midst of a second lockdown. Despite the restrictions on political campaigning, Socialist Party Scotland used every opportunity to continue to promote a socialist alternative to capitalist failures. As we said:
“The decision to place mainland Scotland and a number of island communities into a new lockdown, for at least the whole of January, means a miserable start to the year for millions. As we have pointed out, however, misery has a class dimension. According to reports in December 2020, ten of the richest people in the world increased their wealth by £300 billion since the pandemic began.
“The CEOs of Britain’s biggest companies now pocket a disgusting 120 times the average wage. It took those bloated bosses just the first three working days in January to pocket the entire annual wage of a skilled worker. Above all, the Covid catastrophe has highlighted the serial failures of capitalism and governments who defend that system.”
Almost alone we predicted that class struggle would deepen and become more widespread, in particular over schools and unsafe working
“A series of ballots in December 2020 by the teachers’ union the EIS saw massive support for declaring a formal dispute with employers over unsafe working in schools. Glasgow, Edinburgh, West Dunbartonshire, Fife and Argyll and Bute all returned 90% plus majorities.”
“The National Education Union in England, along with Unison and other unions, called on their members not to go to work on the first day of term. Incredibly, more than 400,000 watched or took part in the NEU online meeting on the issue on Sunday 3 January.”
Pointing to the key role of the trade unions we said: “It is precisely the use of industrial action by the workers’ movement that is the key to the fight for safe workplaces – both in the public and private sector – and for the resources to defeat the Covid pandemic itself.
“Education unions have recruited large numbers of new members to the their organisations. Since the pandemic started, for example, 100,000 workers have joined Unison. The trade unions have a decisively important role to play in the battles ahead.“
election campaign
“Alongside the Covid-19 pandemic, the Scottish elections will dominate the first half of the year…..Socialist Party Scotland members will be standing in the forthcoming Scottish elections as part of the Scottish TUSC election campaign. We’ll be advocating that the trade unions help launch a new workers’ party by calling a conference for that key task.”
January 2021 also saw British and Scottish gas engineers take action against brutal “fire and re-hire” on worse pay and conditions. This dispute was one of the longest running in the last number of years and reflected a new offensive by the bosses in scores of companies using similar tactics.
US in crisis
January 2021 also witnessed the attempts at a Trump-inspired insurrection in the US following his defeat to Joe Biden in the US presidential elections in November 2020. The CWI statement pointed out that: In unprecedented scenes, reminiscent of events in Latin America, Asia or Africa, US capitalism plunged into a deeper crisis yesterday as thousands of Trump supporters stormed the Congress on Capitol Hill urged on by their leader Trump.
“The incredible images of hundreds, some armed, entering the Congress building and debating chamber, as Congress discussed the certification of the election result, bear witness to the massive polarisation which exists in US society. The dramatic scenes flashed around the world are a graphic illustration of the decline of US imperialism. These events will further damage its credibility and standing internationally – especially in the neo-colonial world.”
“This is now the crucial challenge for socialists and workers in the US – to begin the task of building a mass workers’ party with socialist policies that can offer a way out of the devastating crisis gripping US capitalism.”
Also in January the result of the Unison general secretary election was announced with the right wing candidate, Christine McAnea, being elected. Socialist Party comrade Hugo Pierre polled over 10,000 votes. As the Socialist Party statement explained “The result of the Unison general secretary election shows the mood for change in the biggest public sector union. While Christina McAnea, the candidate supported by outgoing general secretary Dave Prentis, has won, the potential has been shown for the union’s right wing to be defeated. This must be the message ahead of the NEC elections, which are due to begin at the start of February.”
In the middle of January Socialist Party Scotland unveiled our latest campaign posters. We were still unable to do regular stalls due to Covid restrictions, but regular postering campaigns had been undertaken by our branches throughout the lockdown phases of the pandemic. Posters included “Bring the care sector into public ownership”, ‘Build a new workers’ party’ and “Fully fund NHS and council services”
Later that month the Communication Workers Union won an important breakthrough agreement with Royal Mail following three massive votes for strike action over the previous two years. As Gary Clark, Scotland No.2 CWU branch secretary, wrote: “There are two main lessons from the last two years. Firstly, management cannot be trusted and agreements are only as good as the strength of the union and the willingness of members to fight. Secondly, privatisation has been a disaster and is a continuing threat to the jobs and contracts of Royal Mail workers. The union must continue to emblazon on its banner the demand that Royal Mail group be brought back into public ownership.”
Scottish TUSC
The Scottish Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition was busy preparing its election challenge for the May Scottish elections. This campaign dominated the work of Socialist Party Scotland, who alone on the left had the confidence to spearhead a challenge to the SNP and Scottish Labour. Both in January and February important meetings and conferences were held to put in place a widespread election challenge that would offer 1.5 million people in Scotland the chance to vote socialist.
Scottish TUSC’s correct decision to contest the election was underlined when Richard Leonard resigned as Scottish Labour leader in January. As we said in our statement “millionaire tendency regain control of Scottish Labour, “The resignation of the nominally left Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard will, in all likelihood, result in the Blairites winning back the leadership of the party in Scotland. Anas Sarwar, the right wing MSP and millionaire who Leonard defeated in 2017, is likely to announce he is to stand.”
FEBRUARY
The SNP leadership announced a new “road map for independence” which offered no strategy about how to overcome the Tories opposition to indyref2. As we commented: “The only power capable of overcoming the entrenched opposition of British and international capitalism to self-determination for Scotland is the mobilisation of the working class in a mass movement for democratic rights.
“Moreover, such a movement would have to appeal to workers in England, Wales and Ireland for their support for the right to decide Scotland’s constitutional future. To do that effectively – and to cut across the concerted attempts to divide the working class through, for example, using English nationalism and religious sectarianism by sections of the ruling class – a socialist approach is essential.”
Socialist Party Scotland produced an important statement on the tasks facing the socialist left in Scotland in February 2020. We said: “Learning the lessons of the mistakes of socialist and left organisations is not an exercise in sectarian nit-picking. They are of crucial importance in helping to prepare the next phase of the mass struggle, one which will see the SNP leadership exposed like never before. The attraction of socialist ideas will grow substantially in the months and years to come. Therefore the vital importance of putting those ideas forward consistently in the movement against capitalism and for an independent socialist Scotland.”
On Saturday February 20, the Scottish Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) conference was held which agreed their election manifesto for the Scottish elections. As we reported: “More than 40 attendees from around Scotland, including socialists, trade unionists and community activists, took part. It was announced that Scottish TUSC would be standing to offer working class people, from Shetland to Shettleston and from Inverary to Tayside and Aberdeen, a genuine socialist alternative to challenge the pro-big business, pro-cuts mainstream parties like the Tories, the SNP and Scottish Labour.”
The conference also agreed a core manifesto for the election which can be read here
Anas Sarwar was elected as the new leader of Scottish Labour at the end of February. “As expected the Blairite, right wing candidate Anas Sarwar has been elected leader of the Scottish Labour Party. The outcome, allied to Starmer’s increasing grip on the UK Labour Party, marks the end of the Corbyn left’s challenge to the dominant capitalist wing of the Labour Party. Indeed Corbyn himself is still excluded from the parliamentary party and is no longer a Labour MP. The millionaire tendency are definitively back in the driving seat.
We continued: “The need to build a new workers’ party in Scotland is even more urgent following Sarwar’s victory. It is essential that the trade unions in Scotland – and this should begin with the left-led unions and leaders – plan for a conference this year to discuss the launching of a new workers’ party. Socialist Party Scotland and the Scottish Trade Unionist Socialist Coalition are helping to lay the ground by standing widely in the Scottish elections in May. Support our campaign and help build the socialist alternative.”
MARCH
“International Women’s Day takes place in a world of turmoil that brings out the best and the worst in human society. Socialists will redouble their determination to end all the evils in society brought about by the domination of a handful of the super-rich, property-owning capitalists. A programme of socialist demands, outlined in the newspapers, websites, and social media outlets of the sections of the Committee for a Workers’ International, is geared towards building a world free of discrimination, exploitation, poverty, hunger, disease, and war – a socialist world.” CWI statement for IWD 2021
Socialist Party Scotland marked International Women’s Day with an online public meeting. We also interviewed Scottish TUSC candidates Sinead Daly and Lynda McEwan on video.
Sarah Everard
Within days of IWD the horrific murder of Sarah Everard was reported. Protests took place across Britain, despite police repression and arrests. Socialist Party Scotland member Lynda McEwan organised a protest to allow local people in Dumbarton and West Dunbartonshire to speak out against violence against women. As we reported: “25 people turned up, many of them young, despite the pressure not to protest. This rotten system of violence, abuse and exploitation has to end. Change the system. Fight for socialism. “
Throughout many months of 2020 and 2021, NHS workers were fighting for a 15% pay rise. Their campaign, fully supported by Socialist Party Scotland, was a key plank of the Scottish TUSC election campaign. We demanded Pay Rises, Jobs and Homes and a socialist recovery for the working class.
Another important campaign launched in March was the fight against deskilling by the construction electricians. Socialist Party Scotland participated alongside Unite members and the Scottish Rank and File at the protest outside Ineos, Grangemouth. “No to deskillling. NO2ESO Solidarity with the construction electricians. Sending a message of Baileys and Balfours, get your hands off our wages, terms and conditions.” We produced regular bulletins for this campaign and took part in all the protests in Scotland which eventually led to a victory for the workers.
March and April 2021 were dominated by the Scottish TUSC election campaign. There was an electric response to our fundraising campaign to raise the money to produce 1.1 million leaflets and to cover the costs of deposits to stand in Glasgow, West Scotland, Highlands and Islands, Aberdeen Donside and Dundee East and West. More than £15,000 was raised for the campaign, including donations from the RMT and CWU branches, reflecting the desire to see a socialist alternative on the ballot paper.
The RMT rail and transport union began taking industrial action in March on Scotrail. The strike, involving action every Sunday, was to last eight months. We wrote: “The dispute is over the refusal of Scotrail bosses to agree to enhanced – dynamic – payments for rest day working. Conductors and ticket examiners have been refused the payments that other grades are paid – adding to the anger that these workers are being discriminated against by the cost-cutting privatised franchise.”
March also saw the 150th anniversary of the immortal paris Commune which the CWI marked with an excellent online rally.
Alba, a new pro-independence party led by Alex Salmond, was launched at the end of March. As Socialist Party Scotland immediately argued: “socialists and the workers’ movement can give no support to the Sturgeon-led SNP or now the Alex Salmond-led Alba party. Neither of them support the interests of the working class. Both of them have been guilty of carrying out austerity as first ministers and playing pass the parcel with Tory cuts. Nor do they stand for widespread public ownership or increased taxes on the rich and big business. The role of socialists and the working class is to build our own political movement independent of the leaders of pro-capitalist nationalism.”
APRIL
British Gas engineers took their 43rd day of strike action in April as their dispute continued against fire and rehire cost-cutting bosses.
Workers at Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) took industrial action in opposition to the “remote towers” project which would make nearly 50 skilled workers redundant at the same time as wasting £70m of public money.
In the run-up to the elections in May, some sections of the Scottish left, including self-described socialists, were advocating support for the Scottish Greens. But did the manifesto and record of the Greens justify such a position?
Oisin Duncan warned; “The central fault at the heart of the Scottish Greens’ political program is their reluctance to decisively break with the capitalist system. All around the world we see the climate crisis and other environmental disasters, such as plastic pollution in the oceans, soil erosion on farmland all over the planet, and deforestation in rainforests in South America and South-east Asia.
“All of this destruction is driven by private corporations or capitalist governments on their behalf, and this shows up in the statistics. 71% of all global carbon emissions since the 1970s have been produced by just 100 companies, meaning that board members for those companies, numbering at most maybe a few thousand, have made decisions which will drive millions from their homes, destroy livelihoods and cause untold human suffering.”
As a small party contesting the election, Scottish TUSC was not entitled to a political broadcast. So we produced our own for use on social media. It was launched live on Facebook and can be viewed here
There were important elections in the trade unions that the Socialist Party in Scotland, England and Wales were heavily involved with. “The ballot for PCS president and national executive committee opens on 22 April and runs to 13 May. PCS is the union for government workers in the civil service and public and private sectors. The PCS left rank-and-file group, the Broad Left Network, is standing Socialist Party member Marion Lloyd for president and candidates for vice-presidents and the national executive committee.”
The excellent work carried out by Socialist Party members and the Broad Left Network during 2021 has ensured the continuation of a principled fighting socialist left in this key trade union.
MAY
We marked May Day, the last weekend of the election campaign, with Socialist Party Scotland members and TUSC supporters out campaigning across Inverness, Irvine, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee
The death of our comrade Tom Prentice in November 2020 was marked by the scattering of his ashes in Edinburgh. Socialist Party Scotland comrades with our red party flag took part.
Election rally
“More than 50 people attended the Scottish TUSC eve of poll election rally on Wednesday 4 May to conclude our inspiring socialist election campaign. Speakers, included Pauline Brady, NHS pay campaigner, Lucas Grant Aberdeen Donside candidate, Lynda McEwan West Scotland candidate, Michael Hogg, RMT regional organiser and Brian Smith, our Glasgow lead candidate. Sinead Daly, Glasgow candidate, chaired the rally and Jim McFarlane our Dundee West candidate summed up at the end. Scottish TUSC has ensured a socialist alternative will be on the ballot paper in large parts of Scotland tomorrow. Well done to all our candidates for ensuring the red flag kept flying.”
The outcome of the election saw the SNP just fail to win a majority. In a highly polarised election around independence, the vote for Scottish TUSC was modest. As we wrote the day after the poll:
“We were the only socialist organisation in Scotland prepared to put up candidates. Most of the socialist left groups that had stood in the past – SSP, Rise, SWP etc – retreated, bowed by the pandemic and the temporary moods to back the SNP or the Greens as the best available option.”
“We ran a strong campaign in the areas we stood in with outstanding candidates, including trade union leaders, working class women and young comrades standing for the first time. In all 1.1 million Scottish TUSC leaflets went to every home in the six areas we stood in.”
“Socialist ideas will gain growing and deeper traction in the new post-Covid period. The need to build fighting trade unions and a new mass workers’ party is an ever more urgent task. The seeds planted in this election will grow and become a powerful material force.”
“Overall, the Scottish TUSC campaign was simply necessary. With an array of pro-capitalist options on the ballot, the need for a fighting socialist alternative was essential.”
We held a very successful meeting as we launched a major drive to win new members to Socialist Party Scotland following the election and the growing interest in socialist ideas.
Israel/Palestine
Within days of the election, mass protests erupted after a new onslaught by the Israeli state forces against Palestinians inside Israel and the occupied territories. We took part in protests In Inverness, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee. Our leaflet said:
- Stop the Israeli military’s missile strikes on Gaza!
- No more brutal force against Palestinians defending their homes and religious sites!
- Stop the home evictions of Palestinian families
- For democratically-organised action and defence committees in Palestinian communities
- For the immediate withdrawal of the Israeli army from the occupied territories and ending the siege on Gaza
- For a mass struggle of the Palestinians, under their own democratic control, to fight for genuine national liberation
- For independent workers’ organisations in Palestine and Israel
- For an independent, democratic socialist Palestinian state, alongside a democratic socialist Israel, with two capitals in Jerusalem and guaranteed democratic rights for all minorities, as part of the struggle for a socialist Middle East
Deportations stopped
Socialist Party Scotland reported that
“Thursday May 13 will go down in Glasgow history. Attempts by the Home Office to detain two Indian men in the Pollokshields area of the city – chef Sumit Sehdev and mechanic Lakhvir Singh – prior to deportation provoked a massive community mobilisation. For eight hours the men were held in the detention van, surrounded by protestors blocking the vehicle from leaving. After a prolonged stand-off the men were freed. This was a massive victory against the racist immigration laws and practices of the Tory government.”
“All in all, this was a an example of the power of working-class communities in defending their own. If points to the type of mass action that can achieve victories and cut across racism in society. But it also means we cannot let up in the fight to remove all racist immigration laws and practices and fight for a society – socialism – that will end such barbarism.”
Workers and the GMB union launched a campaign in May to save the McVitie’s factory in Tollcross, Glasgow. “Socialist Party Scotland were out today suppprting the McVitie’s workers in their fight to defend their 450 jobs and the closure threatened factory. We demand public ownership and workers’ control to save the jobs and the factory.”
Re-open our venues
For months during 2021 a major campaign in Glasgow demanding the re-opening of venues closed during the pandemic has been active. Socialist Party Scotland has been supporting the campaign. As we commented: “The socialist-led UNISON Glasgow Branch is demanding the city’s SNP leadership re-open all Glasgow Life venues under council ownership. Glasgow Life has committed to opening around 90 venues however this leaves dozens of local community centres, libraries, outdoor sports facilities and museums closed due to a lack of funding.
“Legal no cuts budgets must be set by councils as part of that wider campaign – along with industrial action – to defeat the agents of austerity at Westminster, Holyrood and councils.
To do that we need to build a new workers’ party. It’s clear that the SNP, Scottish Greens and Labour councillors are not prepared to fight for working-class communities.”
JUNE
In a historic development, the elections for the Unison national executive council saw the right wing lose control for the first time. “The result shows that the active membership who voted want a fighting and democratic union.This is now the opportunity to show what a left leadership can do.”
Socialist Party Scotland comrade Jim McFarlane was one of those elected to the Unison NEC along with three other Socialist Party members.
We were on the picket lines again in June in Inverness and Glasgow. “Socialist Party Scotland gives our 100% support and solidarity to RMT members taking eleven days of strike action on the Caledonian Sleeper services starting tonight
“The refusal of SERCO bosses to pay workers a decent pay rise following the pandemic is a disgrace. Pay freezes – in effect pay cuts – are unacceptable. RMT members in Scotland are also involved in disputes with ScotRail/Abellio. For weeks now ticket examiners and conductors have been taking action every Sunday against pay discrimination and for pay parity with other grades.”
We marked the 50th anniversary of UCS work-in with a major article. “50 years ago thousands of workers occupied shipyards along the Clyde and defeated plans for a massacre on jobs and trade union organisation by a vicious Tory government and greedy bosses. The prolonged industrial struggle of the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders (UCS) will rightly be celebrated by the trade union movement in Scotland this year. But what are the lessons of this battle for the new generation of trade unionists and workers’ reps in 2021?”
Marxist elected to lead NIPSA
In another major victory for the left, Carmel Gates was elected as general secretary of NIPSA, the largest union in northern Ireland. “Left candidate, Carmel Gates, has won the election for the General Secretary position in Northern Ireland’s largest union NIPSA (Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance) gaining 44% of the vote. Her nearest contender won 34%, and the two other candidates scored 12% and 10% respectively. Carmel is a supporter of the Militant Left (CWI in Ireland).
“This victory raises the stakes in the coming fight back against the impact of years of austerity and is a hugely important development given the background of increasing sectarian tensions in the North. To fully realise the potential, it is vital that all serious activists draw the correct conclusions, and work with a degree of urgency to rebuild the activist layer in the union, and the organised left.”
Socialist Party Scotland member Gary Clark announced he was standing for the CWU postal executive/NEC. “I will be a fighting, campaigning, socialist postal executive committee and NEC member who keeps in constant touch with the most important people, the CWU members. We should be calling on the unions to call a conference to discuss political representation for workers, including building a new workers’ party as Labour has deserted us again. We must also demand renationalisation of both Royal Mail and BritishTelecoms and make sure our members on strike are supported.I will only take the average postie’s wage and put the rest back into the movement.”
Unite election
At the end of June we began the campaign for the Unite general secretary election. “The Socialist Party is supporting Sharon Graham for Unite general secretary, the election for which opens on 5 July. Many of the most combative workers are increasingly being drawn towards her campaign as they look to resist the growing offensive of the bosses.”
Our members in Aberdeen ended the month supporting the housing workers strike action in the city. “Unite members employed as housing officers by Aberdeen council are taking a series of strikes against scandalous attacks on their roles and conditions of work. The move to combine the roles of Housing Officer and Housing Support Officer is a ridiculous example of major cuts to services at the expense of residents and workers.”
With COP26 still five months away we argued: “The failure of capitalist solutions to the climate crisis has become clear, and therefore we need a socialist response. COP26 is a huge opportunity to rally the working class and youth bearing the brunt of climate change, and hold a discussion on the way forward. Mass walkouts from schools and colleges should be organised to coincide with the COP summit in Glasgow to demand real action to tackle climate crisis.”
JULY
The third volume of the history of Militant and the Socialist Party was launched in July. The Struggle for World Socialism book, written by Peter Taaffe. Alec Thraves’ review of the book simply said: “Out of almost every page of this inspiring book leap political gems of Marxist theory, tactics and strategy: necessary to give a concrete socialist way forward for the working class in confronting an ever-increasing brutal capitalist system that continues to make ordinary people pay for the billionaires’ economic crisis through austerity, mass redundancies, youth unemployment, public sector cuts and pay restraint. This book deserves to be read by the widest possible audience.”
In an incredible feat of endurance, our comrade Luke Ivory set the Fastest Known Time for running the North Coast 500 while raising hundreds of pounds for the Socialist Party Scotland Fighting Fund.
Also in July the Youth Fight for Jobs campaign was relaunched in Scotland. “The Youth Fight for Jobs campaign is needed now more than ever. YFJ members in Scotland are organising days of action in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Inverness and Aberdeen over the summer to help with the relaunch. The furlough scheme is set to end in September, and scores of young people are set to be cast out into the world of unemployment, at worst, and low-paid precarious jobs, at best.”
AUGUST
After 20 years of a US-led occupation in Afghanistan, the Taliban came to power as US forces left the country. As the CWI commented: “This is a stunning defeat not just for the Kabul government of President Ashraf Ghani but also for the US, and Nato, under the banner of which the 2001 bloody imperialist invasion of Afghanistan was organised. It has wider consequences for US foreign policy.”
Gary Clark’s campaign for the CWU postal executive saw him win over 3,000 votes and a new left group being launched. “I have never been prouder in my life with the election campaign. I have not been elected to the executive but put forward a clear socialist programme which has got an echo from thousands of CWU postal members all over the country. We put forward a strategy to advance the idea of a fighting programme and improve the conditions of postal workers. So I’m asking you all, if you agreed with what I have been putting forward, now is the time to get more involved in the CWU and support CWU Forward, the new left group in the union. And if you believe in my socialist message then take the next step and join me in the Socialist Party. Forward to socialism and solidarity to you all.”
Omomeewa
All comrades in the CWI were devastated to learn the news of the murder of our Nigerian comrade, Omomeewa. He was the coordinator of the Education Rights Campaign (ERC) Lagos State Chapter and a member of the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM).
Following the announcement of the intention to form an SNP-Green coalition at Holyrood, Socialist Party Scotland were unequivocal: “The SNP/Scottish Green coalition, in all but name, does not represent a step forward for workers and young people in Scotland. It will fail on rent control and housing, on the climate, on cuts, on the NHS and on social care. The need to build a new workers’ party to fight austerity and for a socialist recovery for the working class is paramount.”
In another major development in the trade unions, reflecting the growing swing to the left and anger among workers at continued attacks by the bosses, Sharon Graham won the Unite general secretary election. “Sharon Graham has won the Unite general secretary election. Her success is being celebrated by many members who saw her left candidature as the most likely to build and organise the union industrially as workers face a brutal offensive from the bosses and their Tory government. The Socialist Party campaigned strongly for Sharon’s victory.”
SEPTEMBER
September began with local government workers in Scotland balloting for strike action after a derisory 2% pay offer from the employer. As Jim McFarlane, Unison NEC member, commented:
“UNISON members in local government have served notice on Scottish councils of the intention to ballot for selective industrial action. Council workers have suffered years of cuts to services and jobs alongside pay increases well below the rate of inflation. The strike ballot will run throughout September, looking to begin strike action in October.”
Building socialist students
Much of September was spent campaigning and building Socialist Students on campuses across Scotland. We took part in freshers weeks activities at Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh Napier, UWS, Strathclyde and Glasgow Uni’s establishing active groups across Scotland.
The de-facto Scottish SNP-Green coalition government launched their programme for government in September titled “a fairer green Scotland”. Any worker or young person hoping the this would offer some kind of progressive alternative would have had their hopes dashed after listening to SNP Finance Minister Kate Forbes. Commenting in the Scottish parliament, Forbes blurted out: “We want to create a pro-prosperity, pro-business and pro-jobs environment, which fosters entrepreneurship and makes Scotland an even more attractive place for investors.”
Late September saw hundreds of workers at Dundee University begin a strike in defence of pensions. “Workers at Dundee University are taking five days of strike action, starting on Wednesday 29 September, in defence of their pension entitlements. The well paid senior managers of the university are attempting to slash the pension entitlement of around 900 staff.” Jim McFarlane spoke at the strike rally from the Unison NEC.
Uber drivers took action in eight cities across the UK, including Glasgow.
OCTOBER
Glasgow’s historic equal pay strikes were likely to re-erupt, we reported, after the SNP-led council reneged on the 2019 deal. “Three years ago this month – October 23-24, 2018 – saw the heroic 48-hour mass strike for equal pay. 8,000 Glasgow council workers organised by Unison and the GMB took the action. The majority female workforce had been underpaid for decades by successive Labour and SNP administrations. Following the strike, a famous victory and £500 million in compensation for years of unequal pay was secured. However, the third anniversary of the equal pay uprising is been marked by a betrayal from the ruling council administration.”
The Pandora Papers were released. “The explosive leaking of 6.4 million documents and 1.2 million emails showing the grotesque activities of the super-rich, stashing billions of US dollars in off-shore accounts to avoid tax and launder money, puts the entire capitalist system in the dock. It shows the totally parasitic nature of capitalism and its rulers in today’s world.”
The Glasgow Youth Fight for Jobs protest was a success. “A great Youth Fight for Jobs protest today in Glasgow at Skills Development Scotland Glasgow the SNP/ Green government agency demanding a mass public job creation program to solve the unemployment and climate crisis in the run up to COP26. Part of fifteen Youth Fight for jobs protests across country. Young trade unionists, unemployed, Uni and school students said Socialist Change to end Climate Change.”
COP26
With COP26 just weeks away we urged: “For the climate movement the task should be to expose COP26 as an attempt at “greenwashing” capitalism. Talk of a “just transition” and a “green new deal” means little in practice if the same big business polluters are let off the hook. An effective mass protest movement, including building for walkouts from schools and colleges and strike action by workers during the course of the summit, is essential. As is the movement as a whole putting forward a sustainable alternative to capitalist production methods – the root cause of global warming – which means fighting for socialism.”
Rail, bus and council workers announced plans to strike during COP26. Socialist Party Scotland offers our full support. Come to the Scottish TUSC meetings next week and hear from leading trade unionists who are involved in these disputes, including the RMT and Glasgow City Unison, and help build a fighting anti-austerity alternative for the council elections in 2022.
Socialist Party Scotland members and Glasgow Unison branch secretary Brian Smith called for councillors and MSPs to stop making cuts and set no cuts budgets at the Save Our Venues demo in Glasgow.
Strike action continued at Dundee Uni with Socialist Party Scotland and Socialist Students giving our active and full support.
With twelve days of strike action planned that would shut down the rail network in Scotland, the Scottish government were forced to concede. As we wrote: “The deal agreed between the RMT and ScotRail last night on pay and conditions (2.5% pay rise for 2021 backdated to April, a £300 payment for working during COP and the removal of attacks on terms and conditions) also effectively means the RMT has won the 8 and a half month dispute on rest day working/dynamic payments, at least for the next year. The threat of a 12 days strike during COP26 and the shutting down of the railway has forced concessions. Militant action can deliver for workers.”
NOVEMBER
On the eve of COP26, the Scottish local government unions called off the planned strikes on pay. The mood of anger among cleansing workers in Glasgow was so strong that the GMB leaders were forced to reinstate the action.
We said: “Solidarity from Socialist Party Scotland for GMB cleansing members who will be striking tomorrow in Glasgow after a provocation too far by SNP-led Glasgow City Council. Despite the leaders of the council trade unions – UNISON, GMB and UNITE – calling off the planned action during COP26, workers are angry and want a decent pay rise and an end to cuts. Socialist Party Scotland members in the local government trade unions opposed calling off the strikes. Reject the COSLA offer, Reinstate the strike action.”
Cleansing workers’ strike
Socialist Party Scotland members were on the picket lines all week supporting the striking Glasgow cleansing workers at depots across the city. “COP26 in Glasgow has begun with a show of working-class power. Over 800 members of the GMB trade union have shut down Glasgow cleansing services on day one of a planned week-long strike. The local government pay offer should be rejected by the unions. Strike action should be reinstated for next week in local government followed by a plan of escalation involving bringing more groups of workers out on strike.”
At the same time Socialist Party Scotland was preparing for a major mobilisation to the COP26 demos on 5/6 November. “Friday and Saturday will see Socialist Party Scotland marching against the capitalist climate wreckers at COP26. All week we have been on the GMB picket lines as Glasgow cleansing workers have brought the service to a standstill fighting for a decent pay rise, against cuts and an anti-union council. Workers and young people fighting together for wages, jobs, homes, the climate and to end capitalism can change the world. Come to our meeting on Saturday and find out more about the fight for socialism.”
We reported on the huge interest in socialist ideas at the 20,000-strong youth demo on the Friday and the 70,000 who marched on Saturday: “At our red gazebos, socialist change to end climate change flags, placards – which we sold for donations – and leaflets were eagerly sought after by hundreds of young people in particular. Socialist Party Scotland comrades spoke for hours through our PA systems on both days popularising a socialist solution to the climate crisis.”
“We explained that you can’t have capitalism without climate destruction. The need to end the rule of the billionaires and big business is central to the fight against climate change. The building a mass movement of workers and young people was essential to sweep away capitalism and build a socialist world. Our petitions that called for the seizing of the profits through nationalisation of the main polluting companies under workers’ control and support for the striking bin workers in Glasgow were very popular.”
“We were the only left organisation on the demos to clearly raise these ideas. Many others put forward mixed messages, calling for system change rather than socialist change. The enthusiasm for bold and uncompromising socialist ideas was reflected in the 262 copies of the Socialist sold on the marches. And the £700 in donations we received at our stalls from placards, badges, leaflets and in solidarity with our ideas. More than 6,000 copies of our leaflet were also distributed. 53 people filled in cards to join Socialist Party Scotland.”
“The interest in socialist ideas was also reflected at our meeting after the Saturday demonstration which was well attended by 50 young people and workers, many of them attending their first ever socialist meeting, enthusiastic about the potential for socialist ideas to prove transformative not only to the climate crisis, but across society. By raising our slogans for socialist change to end climate change we provide a marker in the discussion taking place outside COP about the best way forward. One can apologise for a system that thrives off the exploitation of the planet and working people, or advocate a fundamental break with that system. On the evidence of last weekend workers and youth are increasingly drawing that conclusion. We would appeal to them to discuss with us, join our party and fight for the socialist transformation of society.”
Dozens of people have applied to join Socialist Party Scotland or for more information. The failures of COP to offer any way forward underline the need to fight for socialism and a mass movement to end capitalism.
We launched a major campaign through our street stalls and socialist activity against the fuel price increases in November. “Socialist Party Scotland calls for the energy firms to be democratically nationalised under workers’ control. Public ownership would also allow for a socialist plan for energy production based on renewables. Instead of meaningless price caps that energy bosses can easily manoeuvre around, these firms should be managed by the majority of those that depend on these firms to deliver light and heating, i.e. the workers and households reliant on energy.”
End violence against women
November 25, was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. It was also the start of the annual 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. “Socialist Party Scotland members will be taking part in Reclaim the Night marches and protests across Scotland over the next couple of weeks, as well as highlighting the need to end the system, capitalism, that perpetuates sexism and violence against women. Join the fight for socialist change to end all oppression.”
DECEMBER
December began with strike action by UCU members at over 50 universities across Britain. We were on the picket lines again at Glasgow and Dundee supporting the workers.
Socialist Party Scotland reprinted our sold-out pamphlet Red Flag Over the Clyde and also produced a new edition of our What We Stand For pamphlet, which will be a very useful tool given the increasing numbers of workers and young people looking towards socialism.
The Omicron variant of Covid spread rapidly in December, producing further restrictions and exposing, yet again, the underfunding of the NHS and public services in general.
Johnson on the ropes
Almost exactly two years since his election as prime minister, Boris Johnson was on the ropes. His authority – much as it was – has been obliterated. The shattering defeat in the North Shropshire by-election came in the wake of rebellions by Tory MPs over further Covid restrictions. His removal may not be long in coming.
Virtually alone on the left, Socialist Party Scotland predicted that this would be a weak and divided government following Johnson’s election victory in December 2019: “In 1987 Margaret Thatcher was elected with a majority of 102. Within twelve months the campaign of mass non-payment against the poll tax, led by Militant, now the Socialist Party, had begun. It turned the Iron Lady into iron filings, forcing her resignation in 1990. Today, the Tory Party is far weaker than it was then.”
As our sister party, the Socialist Party England and Wales explained in the Socialist’s final editorial of 2021: “No one can deny that the Tories are a split party now. The only debate is over how many splits – and who would win if they united temporarily to oust Johnson. They disagree on a way forward in the crisis, but they are all united by their desire to defend the capitalist system, which ultimately means attacks on the working class.”
There has been a major upsurge in workers seeking to take strike action towards the end of the year. Tesco warehouse workers, organised by Unite and Usdaw, won a 5.5% pay rise after announcing strike action in the run-up to Xmas. Glasgow First Bus workers secured above inflation rises from the bosses.
It’s clear that 2022 will bring increased class struggle and demands for improvements in pay and conditions for workers. Socialist Party Scotland and the CWI will be in the forefront of calling for unified and coordinated strike action across the public and private sector. And further steps towards building a new mass workers’ party.
“A new mass workers’ party could express the anger and aspirations of working-class people”, explained the Socialist. “It could demand democratic trade union oversight of emergency measures taken to contain the virus and the nationalisation of the big pharmaceutical companies to guarantee research, production and supply of medicines, vaccines and treatments.
Trade union struggles for a pay rise would be strengthened by a party that backs a call for a £15-an-hour minimum wage for all, without exemptions, with an annual increase linked to average earnings or inflation, whichever is higher.”
“The Socialist Party will support and fight for every step towards the workers’ movement founding such a party. This includes standing no-cuts candidates as part of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition in the May 2022 local elections. It means encouraging as many trade unionists as possible to stand as anti-austerity candidates in those elections. It means getting organised in our workplaces, communities and campuses to fight the Tories, the bosses, and the capitalist system they represent.”
Join the struggle for socialism. Join Socialist Party Scotland
