Standing for socialism in Aberdeen

Lucas Smith Grant, Scottish TUSC candidate Aberdeen Donside

COVID-19 HAS been a hard experience for people throughout Scotland and Aberdeen is no exception. Union Street as well as George Street and other major centres have seen many closures. Public services have been largely stunted also, with cutbacks and closures due to the virus hurting any hopes of jobseeking. 

Public internet spots are near non-existent and the food parcels being offered by the council are frankly ridiculous. The danger lies in the closures of important services being taken as an opportunity to make major cutbacks as the council have been chomping at the bit to undertake them for years.

The right wing Labour/Tory council’s years of mismanagement show no signs of stopping at the cost of the wellbeing of working people. 

The financial crash of 2007/08 and the following oil crash in 2014/15 saw the livelihoods of many workers being sacrificed on the pyre of capitalism. 

With so much of the local economy being dependent on the oil industry, the slow ebbing away of the industry is likely to be drastically accelerated by the current economic crisis.

This will impact every part of the local economy with many more shop closures to follow. Last year we saw a surge in unemployment and universal credit claimants in Aberdeen, with a 122% percent increase in jobseekers on UC.

Although figures are limited for 2021 so far, there is no reason to believe that the situation is any better and is in fact likely worse.

More redundancies and closures will follow in the coming period, with next to no protections offered to workers doubtless. 

The importance of joining a trade union and organising the workplace has never been more important as it is today. 

The fight for proper wages cannot come soon enough. The paltry minimum wage is not adequate to cover anything close to security. The need for real wages for all regardless of age or any other factor is essential.

A £12 minimum wage is realistic, but crucially this must be a stepping stone towards £15 an hour for everyone. Through trade unions organising into a mass movement this can be achieved. 

With the Scottish elections just round the corner, Scottish TUSC will be standing on a basis of better pay and conditions and no return to cuts and brutal austerity, among many other key policies for workers in Scotland. 

It is obvious to see that we need a transition away from the fossil fuel industry to sustainable, renewable energy sources. Not only will this help reduce climate change, but they will provide long term employment for energy sector workers in Aberdeen. 

This however must be done on a democratic basis with workers and trade unions in control. To make a transition that protects the jobs of those working in the fossil fuels industry by ensuring guaranteed redeployment without loss of pay.

In Aberdeen, Scottish TUSC will be standing in the Donside constituency in May, where there is a great opportunity to bring socialist ideas to a wide audience and show that there is an alternative to the wounds inflicted to the working class. 

This election will likely be focused on a second independence referendum but other concerns will be at the forefront of peoples minds also, that of the toll of the pandemic handling and fears of more brutal austerity. 

Scottish TUSC is the only organisation willing to deliver real change, while protecting and fighting for the livelihoods of workers that is standing in this election. 

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The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society and the failures of capitalism to an unprecedented degree. It has been working people not the bosses of the multinational companies that have kept society running.

Years of economic crisis, privatisation and austerity have hammered public services. Services like the NHS and social care that have proven to be so important during Covid-19.

Capitalist government’s have turned to the state to pay wages for workers for a year. But after the corona crisis, they will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

Never have socialist ideas been more important. Socialist Party Scotland’s material and programme, our newspaper, leaflets, posters, website and social media pages are vital. Vital for workers defending jobs and wages. Vital for young people fighting for a future, free education and a living wage.

A socialist programme is essential to help organise both mass struggle now and for socialist policies to change society.

Socialist Party Scotland members are spearheading the election challenge of the Scottish Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition. Offering the only socialist alternative in large parts of Scotland.

We therefore urgently appeal to all our supporters to donate to our Fighting Fund to support our work. You can donate here