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News, Campaigns & Events
Scottish trade unionists: Looking beyond the election
Day three of of the STUC Congress at Dundee Caird Hall saw important discussions on Scotland’s industrial future. Investing in ferries, supporting oil and gas workers and democratic control of energy were all discussed. Impassioned calls for the defence of local journalism was made, and support echoed for those striking at the University of Aberdeen. One of biggest debates of the day was one focussed on military spending. Following a considered discussion, with a range of v
Voices from the frontline: Day two of the STUC
The second day of the annual Scottish Trades Union Congress heard from workers on the frontline. Violence at work experienced by transport workers and others. The challenges faced by young workers, and exploitation of migrant workers were all discussed alongside the call for a standing commission on health and safety reporting to the Scottish Government. From the perspective of Scotland’s workforce Fair Work policy appears to all too often to fail Scotland’s workers.
Workers United: Demanding Better
Our review of the first day of the 2026 STUC congress in Dundee The Scottish Trades Union Congress opened on April 20th by noting the role that trade unionists play on a daily basis. Representing members, defending terms and conditions and safeguard and enhancing pay. Added to this was a recognition that the movement face the threat from the far right and in contrast to the main political parties progressive taxation to fund services was forcefully argued for. In an attempt
Perspectives & Views
Hopeful pointers for the Holyrood election from Dundee Pensioners’ Forum
Our members have been bravely prominent - amongst others - in opposing some very nasty street protests against asylum seekers housed in Dundee. Led by so-called Dundee Patriots, claiming to be protecting women and girls, these protestors have brought a new level of hostility and physical aggression to Dundee streets over the winter months. The Pensioners Forum had also noticed a different tone in the conduct of debate in the Scottish Parliament, sadly echoing the infantile y
Divergent political cultures?
The latest email distributed to supporters - and to anyone interested - from our friends at Europe for Scotland includes some punchy analysis and comment, inclu ding the following observations on our country's politics - and democratic rights. Recent weeks have seen an extraordinary escalation in global crises, with the US-Israeli aggression on Iran and its dire economic repercussions. This was compounded by President Trump’s remarks that celebrated violence, threatened “ c
The tool of all evil
Erik Cramb on the relevance of the Epistles of St. Paul I sometimes have a wee irreligious chuckle to myself when a colleague talks of the letters of St. Paul. If you are not familiar with them, they do go on a bit. It’s no wonder they’re often called the Epistles of St. Paul, and, if in modern times we use the term ‘epistle’, it’s usually used to have a grump about the length of somebody else’s arguments. Donald Trump, the President of the United States of America, goes tota
Reviews and Reflections
Progressive perspectives
Scottish Left Review marks its 150th issue. The Educational Institute of Scotland has sponsored Scottish Left Review 's March / April issue, this support from a key component of our country's labour movement meaning that every delegate to the Scottish Trades Union Congress will receive a copy when it meets in Dundee (22 to 26 April). STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer contributes an agenda-setting piece to the issue. Foyer recovers the language of 'taking back control' for a
The feeling of a changing world
Harvey Duke writes on protest songs and the power of art, highlighting Bruce Springsteen's new protest song 'The Streets of Minneapolis' , which was the fastest trending song on YouTube in the United States on the day of its release. We’ve all heard the idea: the personal is political. There are moments in our lives when what had felt deeply personal also begins to feel deeply political. Even before we know much about politics, Art can sometimes help us feel connected to the
Burns Day: online poetry - and nuclear disarmament
The good people at Scottish CND have established a tradition of successful Burns events, gathering renowned poets based in Scotland for a programme of peace-themed poetry. As the organisers say, 'these events have been heartening antidotes to the often oppressive, militaristic discourse that is all too common in the national political conversation'. This year, the Scottish CND Burns Afternoon Event will take place online - it's on Sunday 25 of January between 3pm-5pm, and is
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