THE STUC will not pull its punches with the Scottish Government in our campaign for fair pay for striking workers, but at least we can have these disagreements while respecting each other’s democratic legitimacy.

Last Thursday, we mobilised thousands to take to the streets of Edinburgh to protest against the endemic low public-sector pay for which it holds much of the responsibility. The Scottish Government can – and must – do more to help during this cost of living crisis and we won’t ever step back from holding the government to account.

However, the installation of Liz Truss as the fourth prime minister in six years, following a circus-like popularity contest for the Tory faithful, has entrenched our view that no good for workers can ever come from a Tory UK government.

If Truss is to be taken at her word, Scotland’s workers face the most egregious assault on their working rights since the Trade Union Act of 2016, which legislated to curb our ability to organise democratically and attacked the basic human right of freedom of assembly.

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Truss was elected by a secure online ballot of Tory members, a facility denied in law to trade unions for our industrial action ballots.

Now, she intends to introduce an even higher ballot participation threshold for industrial action.

In addition to already legalising strike-breaking, allowing companies to employ scab labour while workers are out on strike, she also wants to double tax the strike pay of workers who have made the sacrifice to withdraw their labour.

With an economy in ruins, inflation at near record levels, energy prices unaffordable and wages decimated, the Tories are looking for a scapegoat. It won’t be their donor mates, the billionaires and the tax-avoiding conglomerates. It won’t be the pandemic profiteers. They’re looking to blame our movement and the workers who have dared not to be poor. We don’t seek the Earth and all its riches, just the means to earn a decent living.

If passed, the reforms she is proposing to our employment rights make even harder to achieve the decent life we aspire to.

Contrast this with the approach of the Scottish Government, and indeed its predecessor Scottish Executive, to industrial relations. The First Minister stood alongside us, and on the same platform as Jeremy Corbyn, to oppose the 2016 Trade Union Act.

The Scottish Government has expressed support for increasing collective bargaining and to deliver fair work. Of course, we think progress here has been too slow. Nevertheless, the comparison between Holyrood and Westminster is stark. To support democratic institutions such as trade unions even when you know they will cause you political problems is a sign of maturity in government. Indeed, it’s a hallmark of proper democracy.

With NHS workers, teachers, firefighters and others in the public and private sectors balloting on possible strike action, the Scottish Government should continue with this approach to industrial relations. That includes direct intervention to engage with our affiliated unions and to find solutions to the humanitarian crisis facing thousands of workers across the country.

Recent interventions by the First Minister and Deputy First Minister John Swinney were an important achievement for our movement. Most recently they involved themselves in the local government dispute. Council workers are now considering a pay offer which includes a wages increase of more than 10% for those who are the lowest paid.

Workers across Scotland would much rather have political leaders who seek solutions instead of conflict, who look for progress instead of playing politics. The Scottish Government can play a positive role in resolving industrial action, not inflaming it.

Meanwhile, the Tories at Westminster are gripped by fear of the power of democratic collective action. Scotland’s workers, indeed workers across the UK, know they are currently at the behest of a government that neither represents them nor cares for them.

Two things are required. We need a General Election to remove the Tories from power and, secondly, the next government must agree the devolution of employment law to the Scottish Parliament. If Westminster won’t protect workers, it’s up to us – our movement and our collective – to campaign for greater protections and rights through our own Parliament.

Thus, rather than spending its time battling to mitigate Tory attacks on our class, the Scottish Parliament – and by extension, the Scottish Government too – can move closer to becoming a true vehicle for social progress.

It will always be the job of unions to be the voices of our workplaces and of our communities irrespective of the political complexion of government. Political leaders and governments can either be on the side of workers or they can be against us.

The current UK Government seems to have chosen its road; conflict, antagonism and disdain. It’s a road we intend to meet them on, head first and without compromise.