STUC Congress 2021 - Congress backs ATUC call to send congratulations to the Shrewsbury 24

Sasha Brydon

STUC Congress backed a call from Aberdeen Trades Union Council to send congratulations to the Shrewsbury 24 on their legal victory in getting their convictions overturned.

Delegates saluted their determination to secure the justice they deserved in clearing their good names and expressed admiration for the Shrewsbury 24 and their families in never giving up to ensure the truth of their innocence was finally established,

Moving the emergency motion, ATUC secretary and delegate, Sasha Brydon, gave the  background, to the Shrewsbury 24’s 49 year campaign for justice.

He explained that a national building workers’ strike in 1972, saw 24 pickets charged with over 200 offences, with six pickets imprisoned. As a result of this they were blacklisted from their industry. According to the Shrewsbury 24 Campaign this remains “one of the most notorious anti-trade union acts of the state in recent times.”

“The convictions of the Shrewsbury pickets were recently overturned after a successful appeal, righting decades of injustice,” said Sasha, adding that sadly, a number of the Shrewsbury pickets did not live to see their conviction overturned.

“Nobody should be blacklisted for their trade union activities, nor wrongly charged by a state with a far too heavy hand,” slammed Sasha. “The victory of the Shrewsbury 24 provides a valuable lesson, that capital will always aim to oppose and undermine legitimate trade unionism.

“Indeed we are seeing this now with EIS-FELA in further education and GMB in British Gas over fire and rehire, among other disputes,” warned Sasha.

“Trade unionism is a positive force for good in our workplaces, communities and broader society, giving a collective voice, and dignity to working people and rebalancing the scales away from the power of capital,” said Sasha, calling on Congress to let the victory of the Shrewsbury 24 inspire.

Congress agreed wholeheartedly and will send congratulations nationally, as the collective voice of Scotland’s trade unionists, to the Shrewsbury 24.