Our delegates to the Congress this year, Steve Gray and Fiona Napier were very active on behalf of the ATUC. They seconded two composites, one on living rent and affordable housing and one on austerity and local authority cuts. They also supported a composite on standing up to UKIP. All these composites included the ATUC's motions to Congress.
Homes for people, not profit
Steve Gray |
This comes as a result of the Aberdeen TUC’s motion which was merged with motions from USDAW, UCATT and North Lanarkshire TUC.
Seconding the composite, ATUC delegate Steve Gray told delegates that homes should be for people not profits.
“We condemn the UK Government’s housing and financial policies that have focused upon “Buy To Let” as the main source of rented housing in Scotland” said Steve.
“The result has
been growing inequality and poverty across Scotland and the UK as working
people struggle with ever rising housing costs, poor quality housing and
insecure tenancies.”
He condemned the UK Government’s election proposal to have another fire sale of Council and Housing Association homes and warned that the lack of affordable housing marginalises people, breaks up families and ruins communities.
“Homes
that are affordable, secure, fit for purpose and responsive to the needs of
local communities are essential to a Fair Society and since the days of
Thatcher the private sector has failed miserably to deliver these homes for us
the people,” slammed Steve.
He reminded delegates that the Council House and Social House building programmes in the 20th century not only housed people, but also provided jobs that helped the Scottish and UK economy to recover from the Great Depression. New secure homes revitalised local communities, peoples’ sense of identity and offered hope to millions for a better, healthier life.
“Now
in the 21st Century a living rent based system of rent controls,
security of tenure and rented housing quality standards is needed, in
partnership with a public sector led house building programme to deliver homes
for people, reduce welfare costs and allow rental income to be reinvested in Scotland’s
infrastructure instead of being dumped in offshore tax havens
Fiona Napier |
The STUC slammed far right racist groups including UKIP – “a party of bigots, sexists, Islamophobes, homophobes and people prejudiced against disabled people.” It pledged to oppose UKIP at every turn and to expose its anti-worker stance and its anti immigration hysteria.
Earlier STUC General Secretary, Grahame Smith
had not missed and hit the wall when he condemned UKIP in no uncertain terms,
stating “The vacuity of UKIP is summed up in the personification of
privileged buffoonery that is their Scottish MEP”
Supporting the composite from the Annual Black Workers Conference, Clydebank TUC, and the CWU as well as from Aberdeen Trades Union Council, ATUC delegate, Fiona Napier told congress of our proud tradition of anti-racist, anti-fascist activism in the North East of Scotland, “still very much needed as we have a National Front candidate standing at the General Election.”
“There can be
no complacency when it comes to fighting the insidious and toxic message pushed
by the far right,” warned Fiona, “Especially in times of extended austerity.”
She spoke of
the concerns of ordinary people about cuts to social provision – housing,
health, education, welfare and how these were also put alongside concerns over
“incomers” overburdening already overstrained services and “scroungers” taking
what they weren’t entitled to.
“A lot of
people feeling vulnerable – insecure in or lacking employment, fearing for how
their families will cope.
“These feelings
are being stoked by right wing sensationalist elements of the media and
exploited by populist politicians like UKIP,” slammed Fiona. “As a result our
immigrant population, our unemployed and some of the most vulnerable in society
are scapegoated, instead of laying the blame where it really lies – the extreme
and unnecessary austerity measures imposed by this government.”
Fiona warned
that UKIP has its greatest support within the working class. “Trade unions have
a major role to play in challenging that,” she said.
Action to combat austerity and local authority cuts
Steve Gray |
Delegates supported a range of measures to combat austerity
and local authority cuts, including calls from the ATUC to end public sector
job cuts and for a programme of long-term investment in jobs, housing,
infrastructure and green energy.
The STUC will also oppose the “false economy” of outsourcing and will work with the People’s Assembly, churches and civic groups to show how governments at all levels can create full employment, well paid jobs, a just transition to a low carbon economy and a crackdown on tax avoidance and fair taxation.
The STUC will also oppose the “false economy” of outsourcing and will work with the People’s Assembly, churches and civic groups to show how governments at all levels can create full employment, well paid jobs, a just transition to a low carbon economy and a crackdown on tax avoidance and fair taxation.
Seconding the composite from Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Fife TUCs, ATUC’s Steve Gray told Congress
that like Edinburgh, Aberdeen is
becoming a city of two halves, the very rich and the working poor.
“Across the North
East of Scotland inequality is spreading out from Aberdeen like ripples on a
pond,” said Steve, warning that austerity is a choice of this government in
London not a necessity, but its effects are being felt even in Aberdeen and the
North East of Scotland as more food banks open.
“The austerity cuts
and the pay freeze are resulting in more and more council workers, our members,
becoming the working poor and these people are turning more and more to food
banks to help them. Local Government and the wider public sector are the glue
that holds society together, providing services that everybody needs,” said
Steve, “And austerity and the planned cuts means that all society suffers as
services are slashed.”
He pointed out that
many local firms and businesses rely directly on work from the public sector,
and others rely on the spending power of workers who are our members. So, reduced
budgets hurt everyone who needs to use a Council or public sector based
service.
“We need to support
this strategy to end public sector job cuts and to campaign for proper investment,
which will create jobs, revitalise the economy and result in more equal society where everyone can have
access to a good quality of life,” he urged.