ATUC in action at the 121st STUC Congress

Kathleen Kennedy moving ATUC motion

The 121^st STUC Congress was held in Aviemore between 16 April and 18 April 2018. ATUC had three delegates - Tyrinne Rutherford, Fiona Napier and Kathleen Kennedy as delegation leader. The delegation had a very busy successful Congress this year.

Kathleen Kennedy, delegation leader said, “I think we thoroughly enjoyed it and we worked well as team."

ATUC had submitted three motions. Two were composited and one stood alone. All were approved.

Our 3 motions were

• Organising in Hospitality
• End Israeli apartheid and the detention of Palestinian Children
• Scotland is not just the Central Belt

Kathleen Kennedy on additional support needs

'Scotland is not just the Central Belt', our stand-alone motion, was backed by Congress and as a result the STUC and affiliates will look at holding meetings in different parts of the country and having later starting times.

Moving the motion on the Monday afternoon, Kathleen painted a picture of how early you need to leave Aberdeen or Aberdeenshire for a ten o'clock start.

Kathleen said, “It is an incredible early start and sometimes means an overnight stay.”

She went on to explain why this issue is as much about equality as anything else and she asked that the STUC and affiliated unions take this into account when planning Scotland wide meetings.

Kathleen added, “Now the motion has been passed, let's see how many unions take it into account!”

Kathleen also spoke in support of the motion on Additional Support Needs which was about providing the right training for professionals supporting children with additional support needs. This is an area which Kathleen feels passionately about, as once she needed the appropriate support in secondary school due to her physical abilities.

Kathleen told Congress that she needed a scribe, and after receiving this help, her marks improved, showing how important these professionals are.

Tyrinne Rutherford seconding

Tyrinne Ruthford seconded the composite motion 'The Gig Economy' which our motion on 'Organising in Hospitality' was composited into. This motion was about ending low wages and zero hours contracts against the backdrop of companies increasing profits. 

Tyrinne also seconded an emergency motion on 'UK, USA and France bombing Syria.'

Fiona Napier seconded the composite motion 'Israeli Government Attack on Human Rights' as our motion 'End Israel Apartheid and the Detention of Palestinian Children' had been composite into this.

Fiona Napier seconding composite