ATUC stands in solidarity with BrewDog workers demanding transparency

Aberdeen Trades Union Council delegates joined Unite Hospitality workers as they staged a demonstration at the BrewDog Bar at Union Square in Aberdeen city centre on Wednesday 25th February.

The demonstration was called in response to the treatment of workers before and during the ongoing sale process at BrewDog, amid reports that the company is being prepared for sale to the highest bidder.

The dispute centres on the lack of consultation, the abandonment of the real living wage, widespread bar closures, and the slashing of contracted hours — all of which have left workers paying the price for decisions taken at the top of the business.

Recent press coverage has confirmed that BrewDog is exploring options for the future of the company, including a potential sale, following years of cuts, closures and worker uncertainty.

Affiliations and Annual Reports Due for 2026

▶ ATUC Trade Union Affiliations

Thanks to your support the ATUC continued its work throughout last year with a large number of events, demos and attendance to support striking workers!  We very much hope your trade union will support us once again by affiliating this year as well

We can only exist because trade union branches support us, and whether your branch has been a long time affiliate, or you wish to join us for the first time this year, we’d be very happy for your support.

If your branch already affiliates, but you know of other branches or unions who don’t then please send this email on to them – spread the word!

▶ Annual Report Adverts & Articles!

It's that time of year again, and the ATUC are looking for organisations to help sponsor our annual report, to be published in the new year, by taking out adverts to be included in the publication. You can view last year’s report as well.

Organisations taking adverts in this way allow us to produce the well-respected Annual Report each year which is distributed to trade union and other organisations, as well as being made available at the annual STUC conference. It's a great way to get your branch or organisation noticed, as well as helping us to cover the costs of producing the report.

We would also like to encourage all our affiliates and associate organisations to provide a report on your work over this year.

Celebrating the collective power of women with poetry and song on International Women's Day

Poster by Morag Lawrence

 Join us to celebrate International Women's Day in Aberdeen on 8 March 11.30-1pm, with poetry and music by and for women. 

The event, which will be held in the ATUC, 22A Adelphi, Aberdeen, has been organised by Aberdeen Trades Union Council in association with the Aberdeen Morning Star Readers and Supporters Group. 

It is open to both men and women and will hear poetry from women and men celebrating the role of women in communities and political activism. It will also showcase the new Morning Star poetry anthology, Who We Are.

Music will also feature at what promises to be an uplifting event celebrating women's voices and women's power.

Please do come along and join us.

What is International Women's Day (IWD)?
IWD is celebrated annually on March 8.  It is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for advancing gender equality.

IWD has been around for well over a century, with the first IWD marked in 1911.

In 2026, IWD marks an extraordinary milestone: 115 years of collective action, advocacy, and progress toward sex equality. For more than a century, IWD has helped drive transformative change. Each generation has built on the courage of those before it, pushing boundaries and redefining what is possible.

Looking forward to welcoming you to this event. Please come and celebrate the collective power of women in creating change.

Thank you to all workers providing vital services in the worst snow in a decade

Aberdeen Trades Union Council (ATUC) wishes to thank all the workers in Aberdeen City and across Aberdeenshire that went above and beyond in the Wintery conditions earlier in January to protect the citizens of the North East - especially the most vulnerable.

This is when the absolute value of public services and the workers who provide them is laid bare. We have heard many stories of NHS staff's valiant efforts to get into hospitals and health centres, carers going the extra mile to ensure vulnerable older people are not left isolated, the workers who plough the roads and pavements, out in all weathers, the emergency service workers braving the elements, and many many more. We thank all of you.

We recognise that the situation was made even more challenging by the cuts that councils and other public services have faced over 15 years of austerity. We have written to Aberdeen City Council to express our concerns at some of the unreasonable demands made on some, mainly low paid women workers, to get into their work when other colleagues were able to stay at home. 

With climate change we are likely to see more such severe weather events. Aberdeen Trades Union Council calls on all employers to ensure their workers are kept safe in providing services at these times and that the impact of cuts is identified to the Scottish Government to ensure that lessons are learned for the future.

ATUC and individual trade unions will continue to campaign for properly funded public services, for the health and safety of the workforce and for the benefit of the citizens of the North East of Scotland.

Festive greetings to all and best wishes for a peaceful and happy 2026

Aberdeen Trade Union Council wishes all our delegates, affiliates, associates and friends our best wishes for a wonderful festive season and a happy and peaceful 2026.

We particularly send greetings to those providing essential services over the holiday period.

ATUC and its affiliated unions alongside political and community organisations and activists will continue to stand up for workers rights and human rights at home and across Scotland, the UK and the world.

Thanks to you all for your continued support. 

Happy Christmas!

"Stand up, Speak out, Unite against Racism" at the St Andrew's Day March and Rally 29 Nov

Please join us at our Aberdeen St Andrew's Day march and rally against racism and fascism on Saturday 29 November. 

The family friendly event, organised by Aberdeen Trades Union Council, will gather in Rubislaw Terrace at 11am to march off at 11.30, down Union Street to a rally at Union Terrace Gardens, opposite HMT. 

Tommy Campbell, ATUC President, who will chair the rally urged affiliates to come along with their families, friends and neighbours. 

He said, "This year's march and rally comes at a time where the far right are targeting asylum seekers and refugees in our communities, spouting their messages of hate. 

"Week on week ATUC joins with community and political activists to stand against far right protests and say, "Not in our name!"

Please get along to this march and rally. Bring your banners and placards and and stand in solidarity against racism and fascism wherever it raises its ugly head. 

Let's give a clear message from our trade union movement that we will "Stand up, Speak out and Unite against Racism"

The rally will hear from speakers from political parties and community groups all united in our opposition to racism and attacks on asylum seekers, migrants and other vulnerable groups. 

Building bridges, not borders – report of 98th STUC Women’s Conference

Kate Ramsden was ATUC’s sole delegate to STUC Women’s Conference 2025, held on 29-30 October in the Glasgow Royal Conference Hall with the theme, “Women build bridges, not borders”. 

Kate has been a member of STUC Women’s Committee in one of two Trades Union Council seats for the past two years. She was re-elected unopposed for a further term. This is her report.

Delegates discussed a wide range of issues affecting women as workers, as trade unionists, as mothers, as carers. As always there was a focus on women’s health, highlighting that employers are still not addressing the needs of menstruating and menopausal women, pregnant and breastfeeding women, with calls to lobby employers and government for change. The shameful increase in the gender pay gap was also highlighted, alongside the rise in violence towards women and children and the impact on women nationally and internationally of patriarchal and class based oppression. And of course, combating the far right was a key theme which ran through much of the conference.

The STUC Women's Committee Manifesto for the 2026 Scottish Parliament elections was also launched at the Conference.

Kate spoke in three debates on day 1. Below are brief reports on each of them.

Celebrate the Sex Discrimination Act with courageous conversations about women’s rights
As delegate from ATUC Kate spoke to support a celebration of the Sex Discrimination Act (now subsumed into the Equality Act) but also to recognise the challenges in progressing women’s equality.

She pointed out the similarities to the ATUC motion from last year’s conference, also celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the Sex Discrimination Act.

Kate said, “Women make up a large and growing number of trade union members and yet we are still disadvantaged in a myriad of different ways in this patriarchal society which, despite decades of struggle, still privileges men”.

She called for a recognition that in certain circumstances, women, as an oppressed group in a male dominated world, need to be with other women who share our experiences.

She asked for open and respectful dialogue as to how women’s rights under the Equality Act can be fully implemented without disadvantaging other vulnerable groups.

“In celebrating the Sex Discrimination Act we have to have courageous conversations across the trade union movement,” urged Kate.