THE First Minister has announced a £250,000 support package for trade unions in Scotland to help mitigate the negative impacts of new UK laws.
Nicola Sturgeon said the new Trade Union Modernisation Fund (UMF) was aimed at softening the blow of the Trade Union Act so that the obligations placed on unions by the legislation do not pull trade union reps away from supporting their members and helping employers embrace fairer working practices.
Making the announcement at the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) ministerial bilateral meeting, she said: “The ScottishGovernment believes the Trade Union Act, passed by the UK Government, is unnecessary legislation that threatens the capacity of trades unions to deliver the constructive employment relations that underpin a fairer, more inclusive and more successful economy.
“There is clear evidence that unionised workplaces have more engaged staff, have a higher level of staff training and a progressive approach to staff wellbeing.
“That is why we are committed to supporting strong trade unions in Scotland. Our distinct approach, unlike that of the UK Government, is based on partnership working as demonstrated through the establishment of the Fair Work Convention and our endorsement of their Fair Work Framework.
“The fund will ensure that the time of union reps is not needlessly diverted to legislation compliance administration but can remain committed to supporting their members and innovation in the workplace through the Fair Work Framework.”
The move was welcomed by STUC general secretary Grahame Smith, who said the Scottish Government’s support package shows its commitment to positive industrial relations.
He added: “From the inception of the Fair Work Commission to their opposition to the Trade Union Bill, the Scottish Government has made clear that it supports organised unions playing a positive role in delivering fair work and engaging the skills of its members in driving economic growth and delivering better public services.
“By assisting in mitigating the impacts of the Trade Union Act and encouraging the best use of reps’ time to positively promote fair work and workplace innovation, the Scottish Government has again demonstrated its commitment to positive industrial relations through workplace democracy.”
The cash adds to existing funds to promote in-work learning and will be managed by the UMF supervisory board, part of the STUC. The board will meet quarterly, include links with Scottish Government and report at the end of the financial year. Activity will be supported by development officers.
Last year’s bid by the Scottish Government to block the Trade Union Bill from applying to Scotland was rejected by the then presiding officer.
Ministers wanted to lodge a legislative consent memorandum, claiming Holyrood should have a say on the bill as it could affect devolved areas.However Tricia Marwick turned down the motion.
The Trade Union Bill became the Trade Union Act 2016 in May, when it gained Royal Assent.
A key element of the Act is that industrial action will be lawful only when there has been a ballot turnout of at least 50 per cent in “important public services”, including health, education and transport. An additional threshold of 40 per cent of support from all eligible members must be met for industrial action to be legal.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here