TRADE UNION BILL: SCOTTISH GREENS TO SUPPORT NON-COMPLIANCE
Delegates at the Scottish Green Party conference in the SECC in Glasgow have today voted to support a campaign of non-compliance in response to the Trade Union Bill, deeming the proposed bill as ‘an attack on workers’ rights’.
The emergency motion mandates the party to support campaigns of non-compliance and non-violent direct action to oppose the legislation if the UK Parliament passes it. Direct-action and non-compliance have already been advocated by Scottish Green Party Co-convener Patrick Harvie and Caroline Lucas, Green MP at Westminster.
Sarah Beattie-Smith, Scottish Green candidate for South of Scotland in Holyrood 2016, said:
“The Trade Union Bill is an atrocious attack on the most basic rights of workers, and the Scottish Greens will stand with unions to make sure that this legislation will have absolutely no foothold in our country.
“Trade unions are an absolutely essential part of Scottish society - they make sure that labour rights are protected and that the voice of working people is heard loud and clear in our decision-making. Through our new Trade Union Group, the Scottish Greens will do everything we can to put a stop to the Tories’ attempts to undermine the important work our unions do.
“We must hold onto our proud tradition for workers’ collective representation, and we will play our part in any non-violent direct action and non-compliance that our unions may decide to undertake.”