Scottish Greens Reject Tory Attacks On Workers Rights
In the face of a Trade Union Bill from Westminster which would severely limit workers' rights Scottish Greens have been at the forefront of the campaign for non-compliance.
At our recent national conference West of Scotland lead candidate Ross Greer proposed an emergency motion committing the Greens to support non-compliance. The motion was passed overwhelmingly and sees the party join others in taking this stand, including Green MP Caroline Lucas and Grahame Smith, General Secretary of the Scottish Trade Union Congress, who used his opportunity to speak at the Scottish Greens' conference to state the lengths he would go to in opposing these proposals.
The bill includes provisions to intrude on the work of union representatives in the workplace, further restrict laws on picketing (already the harshest in western Europe) and actively encourage employers to break strikes with replacement agency labour.
Ross Greer said:
“This bill is nothing more than a Tory attack on the right of workers to collectively defend and enhance our rights at work. The United Kingdom has the most restrictive anti-trade union laws in western Europe. This is not something to be proud of. In Scotland in particular the introduction of this bill would be completely unacceptable, given the overwhelming opposition of our elected representatives, local councils, civic society and the Scottish Government. The Scottish Greens will support the campaign of non-compliance in parliament and in the workplace.”