Unite Scotland and PCS Scotland Support the People's Charter

The Scottish Committee of The People’s Charter has put forward proposals for the protection and creation of jobs in the face of the Government’s failed austerity programme.

The Unite and PCS trades unions are calling for the revitalisation of collective bargaining and trade union rights to help boost pay and conditions. Furthermore, urgent state intervention and private investment in strategically important sectors of the economy are both required if the UK is to lift itself out of recession.

The proposals are central to the Charter’s radical alternative campaign which launched its new e-petition last week in the Scottish Parliament, already gaining cross-party support and over 1,000 public signatories.

Unite Scottish Secretary Pat Rafferty said, “The increasing inequality of the UK economy can be linked to the decline of collective bargaining over the last thirty years and the legislative assault on trade union rights.

It’s a simple fact that in economies where high levels of collective bargaining and trade union freedoms exist, workers benefit from greater job security and stability of pay and conditions while wider society enjoys greater equality and prosperity.

A fresh focus on sector-wide collective bargaining coupled with legislative change from Government which supports and not attacks trade union rights are vital components for economic recovery and a future that works.”

The PCS Scottish Secretary Lynn Henderson added, “The failed politics of austerity has caused key industries to haemorrhage quality jobs, skills and slash wages with devastating effects on earnings and households.