Scottish TUSC conference hears from the front line in the struggle against austerity

Matt Dobson reports from Glasgow 

100 people attended the Scottish Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) conference on Saturday June 27th. 

The conference underlined the roots that TUSC has sunk in workplace and community struggles over the last 6 months. Trade Unionists from Unison, PCS, Unite, EIS, PCS, FBU, BAFWU and the RMT participated. The conference also drew a significant number of people who had never been to a TUSC conference before and had been attracted by the recent TUSC general election campaign. 

Shop stewards from Scotland’s two all-out strikes, the Dundee hospital porters and the Glasgow homeless caseworkers spoke from the platform and gave personal support for TUSC. The conference also heard from the Save Our School Buses campaign in Glasgow.  See article on the website

porters

Conference then heard from Graham Nelson, senior Unite shop steward from the striking Ninewells and RVH porters. Graham reported on a significant breakthrough for the porters after 16 weeks of industrial action and twelve weeks of being on strike. 

Graham made the point that if the full power of the trade union movement was utilised with nationally co-ordinated strike action the government and its austerity programme could be defeated. He also thanked TUSC for its constant support for the strike. Graham explained that he and many of the porters had voted TUSC in the election because we need a party for the working class. 

caseworkers

Chris Sermanni, Unison rep from the Glasgow homeless caseworkers, now entering into their fourteenth weeks of all out strike action for fair pay, also expressed support for TUSC and raised the need for a political alternative for the working class. Chris explained the Labour council in Glasgow are using illegal strike breaking tactics using workers from outside agencies to do the work of the caseworkers to try and break the strike and are letting the homeless service collapse while refusing to regrade all the caseworkers. 

A new mass workers party

John McInally, PCS vice president and Socialist Party member, then addressed the rally. John stressed the importance of the fact TUSC had stood widely in the general election and had been the the main force offering a 100% anti austerity alternative. TUSC is step towards the new mass party of the working class we need and those who dismiss its relatively low votes should learn the lessons of how working people formed the Labour party for political representation over 100 years ago. 

John explained all the main parties are committed to austerity including the SNP who, despite posing as “anti-austerity”, implement Tory cuts and pay restraint in the public sector. That’s why it’s important that TUSC exists in Scotland to oppose all cuts and support the struggles of workers. 

John wished the left candidate, Jeremy Corbyn, in the Labour party leadership election good luck but pointed out that Labour has moved fundamentally to the right with a pro big business position. Those backing Corbyn, if as seems likely he loses, should draw the right conclusion and break with Labour to build a working class alternative. 

The PCS trade union has come under anti-union attacks from the government aiming to break its strength with the ending of the check-off system but has campaigned and mobilised its reps and members to get majority reregistration emerging stronger. John made the point these attacks would continue and the trade union movement has to respond with the most effective weapon against austerity and attacks on the right to organise, nationally co-ordinated strike action. 

Angela McCormick, an EIS/FELA activist and member of the SWP, spoke of how politics in Scotland has changed post the independence referendum with the collapse of Labour’s vote in its ex heartlands and the surge towards the SNP. Angela made the point that TUSC was involved in every battle against austerity and racism and needed to continue this into 2016.   

RMT

Gordon Martin Scottish Organiser of the RMT trade union reaffirmed the unions support for TUSC. Gordon made the point that the RMT was fighting attacks on its members from the Tories, Labour and the SNP, all austerity parties, and that there should be no illusions in the SNP’s position. Gordon reported on the Network Rail dispute where the threat of action by RMT members forced the employers to break the pay freeze. RMT members who work for CalMac ferries have been on strike over the past week over threats to pensions, jobs and working conditions. Gordon called for a united left challenge in the Scottish 2016 elections but on the basis of the right 100% anti austerity program. 

There then followed a discussion and review of TUSC’s general election campaign. Jim McFarlane, Socialist Party Scotland member and TUSC candidate for Dundee West, reported on the links built up with local trade unionists who came out to support the campaign and the need to push this forward in 2016. Conference voted to support the campaign for justice for Sheku Bayoh who died in police custody in May in Fife. 

Toward 2016

Philip Stott from the Scottish TUSC steering committee then moved a motion on the way forward for TUSC in the run up to 2016. TUSC stood the largest number of left candidates, by far, in Scotland. There is an urgent need to stand 100% anti-austerity, socialist candidates for the 2016 Scottish elections. Philip made the point that despite winning an unprecedented election victory on an anti-austerity platform, the SNP seem intent on carrying on with their pro-business policies, including implementing the cuts in Scotland. It is therefore vitally important that TUSC encourages the biggest possible coalition of trade unionists, socialists and anti-cuts campaigners etc to stand against Tory cuts and in opposition to those parties in Scotland, like the SNP and Labour, who are acting as a delivery mechanism for austerity.

TUSC calls on the Scottish government and councils to refuse to carry through Tory cuts by setting No Cuts budgets. The motion stated that Scottish TUSC will continue to seek to work with all those who agree with the need for a 100% anti-austerity, socialist platform for the 2016 elections. TUSC is a federal and democratic coalition of socialist organisations, the RMT trade union, leading trade unionists and anti-cuts campaigners. All organisations have the right to be represented on the steering committee which operates by consensus. TUSC appeals to all socialist and left groups to consider joining with TUSC to build the largest possible socialist election challenge. TUSC will continue to engage in discussions with other left groups to this end.

Representatives from Solidarity and the Scottish Socialist Party attended the conference.

Solidarity representatives circulated a statement calling on those who had attended to join a united challenge with Solidarity in the election. Philip made point that TUSC, while open to discussion with all on the left, had differences with Solidarity over their current position of calling for an SNP vote in the constituency vote in the Scottish elections in 2016.

There followed a discussion on the motion with Socialist Party Scotland members reinforcing the point that while a united election challenge would be most effective it would only be so under a principled program of opposition to all cuts.

Conference voted for the motion from the steering committee which resolved to continue to build support for TUSC and a widespread, united 100% anti-austerity and socialist election challenge in May 2016. At the same time Scottish TUSC will continue to engage in discussions with all those not yet part of TUSC to seek the widest challenge next year. A conference of Scottish TUSC will take place in the autumn to finalise our plans.