ScottishLeft Review Issue 98 March/April 2017 - £2.00

1 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 The Educational Institute of Scotland The EIS is committed to promoting and (EIS) is the largest education union protecting the interests of Scottish education and ensuring a better future for pupils and in the country representing over 80% teachers alike. of Scotland’s teaching professionals. We have over 2000 EIS Representatives The EIS continues to campaign for improvements in teachers’ pay and conditions, working in schools, colleges and workload reduction and protection of the universities providing support and distinctive nature of Scottish education, guidance to our members. as well as the quality of provision.

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Class wars either side of the pond here is a class war going on. ‘self-employment’, zero hour contracts, So the question of Corbyn returns. As Sometimes open but mostly people with two or three part-time jobs in Scotland and Britain, the Corbynistas Thidden, this class war has seen and the like. have strengthened their influence on the proportion of total national income Given the continuing problems Corbyn some of Labour’s leading bodies but accounted by wages fall from a high faces in turning Labour into an effective the sense is that time may be beginning of 65% in the mid-1970s to 53% by reviewsto run out for them. It is not just unity and credible left fighting force, the union mid-2010s. And given that the number movement remains working people’s and new developing attractive new of extremely high paid executives has best defence as number of contributors policies, as Corbyn said after the spring rocketed, you can get a sense of what like Lynn Henderson argue in our special 2017 Scottish Labour conference, that this means for the relative value of the edition. As she acknowledges, it will be are needed. They are necessary but wages of most citizens. Capital, the no easy feat given the following: the not sufficient because mobilisation is minority class in a capitalist society, is extent of workers covered by collective needed to assert and implement many beating labour, the majority class in a bargaining coverage on their pay has of the policies, and that cannot be done capitalist society, with a rather big stick within the confines of the Palace of and winning to boot. Other indications fallen 37% in 1996 to 28% in 2015 while Westminster. Mobilisation means extra- of this class war are Britain ranking 103 the percentage of workplaces with a parliamentary activity in terms of mass out of 112 countries for wage growth union presence fell from 50% to 43% in the post-financial crash period where over the same period, and overall, union campaigning, civil disobedience and the value of the average wage fell by density fell from 32% in 1995 to 25% in direct action to stop closures and cuts 1% a year; the 5.3m workers working 2015, with private sector density falling and to support councils setting ‘needs’ 2.1bn hours of work for free, amounting from 21% to 14%. budgets. to a tax free gift to their bosses of Unions cannot win on their own because ‘Scottish Parliament ‘infested with £33.6bn; and the prevalence of bogus they need supportive political parties. vermin’’ was a headline in the Scottish

Cover: ScottishLeftReview Nadia Lucchesi Issue 98 March/April 2017 ([email protected]) Contents Proofing services: Editorial comment...... 3 Bob Thomson and John Daly Breaking bad: Brexit and bills of rights Grahame Smith...... 5 Communications and Challenging the cuts consensus Mike Kirby ...... 7 organisational development: Constructing a charter in construction Pat Rafferty...... 11 Carole Ewart Classroom battles coming Larry Flanagan ...... 12 Deep organising can rebuild workers’ power Lynn Henderson ...... 13 Editor Email: Ending neo-liberalism in post and telecom John Brown ...... 14 [email protected] ABC in HE: austerity, Brexit and centralization Mary Senior ...... 15 Web: www.scottishleftreview.org Fighting the flames of austerity for fire and rescue Denise Christie ...... 16 We can’t just play along any more Caroline Sewell ...... 17 Tel: 0141 424 0042 Workers need a voice but Taylor can’t provide it Sarah Glenister ...... 18 Address: Partners for progressive change? Chris McEleny ...... 19 Scottish Left Review, It’s as simple as ABC: austerity budget cuts Joe Cullinane ...... 20 A right danger! Carole Ewart ...... 21 741 Shields Road, Pollokshields, Tam Dalyell – an appreciation Neil Findlay...... 22 Glasgow G41 4PL Economics for the 99% John McDonnell ...... 25 Holyrood or Hollywood? Patrick Phillips ...... 26 Printed by Remembering what the NHS is for Graham Watt...... 27 Hampden Advertising Ltd, Trump – populist, racist, sexist but not fascist Gerry Friedman ...... 28 70 Stanley St, Glasgow G41 1JB, Vladimir McTavish’s Kick up the Tabloids...... 30 Tel: 0141 429 1010

3 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 press in early February. It reminded me of 1983, the first year for which comparable next lowest rates were in North Carolina the ‘all Tories are vermin’ dictum apropos union data is available, union density was (3%), Arkansas (4%), and Georgia (4%). of Aneurin Bevan in 1948 saying, ‘So far 20% with 17.7m members. The highest New York was the only state with a as I am concerned they [the Tories] are union density in the post-war period was union membership rate over 20%. Over lower than vermin’. It will be interesting 35%. half of all union members lived in just 7 so see how well the rats do in the local Within these overall figures, for 2016, states (California 2.6m; New York 1.9 m; elections after a strong showing last public sector workers had a union density Illinois, 0.8m; Pennsylvania, 0.7m; and May in the Scottish Parliament elections. (34%, with 7.1m members) more than five Michigan, New Jersey, and Ohio, 0.6m The next test for Labour will come in times higher than that of private-sector each), though these states accounted for May with the local elections, and so we workers (6%, with 7.4m members). Within only about one-third of wage and salary continue our coverage of these elections the public sector, density was highest employment nationally. from the last issue with two articles by for local government (40.3%), which In 2016, the union membership rate two leading councillors, one Labour, one includes employees in heavily unionised SNP. continued to be slightly higher for men occupations, such as teachers, police (11%) than for women (10%) although Contrary to some opinion, Trump is officers, and firefighters. In the private the gap between their rates has not a fascist but a right-wing populist sector, industries with higher density narrowed considerably since 1983, when and opportunist who is racist, sexist, included utilities (21%), transportation and rates for men and women were 25% and homophobic etcetera. Gerry Friedman warehousing (18%), telecommunications 15% respectively. Among major race and looks at the roots of this populism while (15%), construction (14%), and educational ethnicity groups, black workers continued Colin Darroch reviews Bernie Sander’s services (12%). Low density occurred to have a higher membership rate in new book. Apropos of this, the beginning in finance (1%), agriculture and related of the Trump presidency, and to coincide industries (1%), food services and drinking 2016 (13%) than workers who were white with this edition’s focus upon unions, places (2%), and professional and technical (10%), Asian (9%) or Hispanic (9%). By it’s worth briefly crossing the proverbial services (2%). Despite this, median weekly age, union membership rates continued pond to ponder the situation there. earnings of non-union workers ($802) to be highest among workers ages 45 Union density figures are published every were 80% of earnings for workers who to 64 (13%). Membership rate was 12% January by the US government, Bureau were union members ($1,004) although for full-time workers, twice the rate for of Labor Statistics, for the previous this difference may not all be attributable part-time workers at 6%. It would seem year. They make for grim reading, with to union influence. Among individual a return to the 1930s of the revival of some parallels with Britain. In 2016, states, New York continued to have the American unions with militant strikes and overallLRD TUC density Sept15_Layout was just 11% 1 10/07/2015 (with 14.6m 14:09 Pagehighest 1 density (24%) while South Carolina sit-downs will be needed to change this members), down from 11.5% in 2015. In continued to have the lowest (2%). The terrible state of affairs. FIGHT ANTI-UNION LAWS

www.rmt.org.uk

General Secretary: Mick Cash President President: PeterSean Pinkney Hoyle 4 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 Breaking bad: Brexit and bills of rights Grahame Smith lays out the ramifications of a hard Brexit for our rights hen the 2017 STUC Congress great liberators. That is why the union The implications of Brexit will feature opens in Aviemore on 24 and labour movement is so passionate in Congress debates on the economy, WApril, it is likely to be in the about the pursuit of them. To repress union and employment rights, aftermath of Theresa May’s epistle political debate and disparage those migration and anti-racism. They will to the European Council announcing, seeking educational advancement or undoubtedly reflect the uncertainty under Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, dedicating themselves to enhancing that abounds over what might emerge the UK’s intention to withdraw from our understanding through research from the negotiations between the UK the EU. It will also come just weeks and study and presentation of evidence Government and the EU, including the before the proposed state visit to the because they threaten to expose the response to the Scottish Government’s UK by US president, Donald Trump. vacuous nature of one’s arguments is differentiated (and compromise) option These two events reflect domestic and contemptable. of Scotland remaining in the UK and international political developments It’s not that all academic research is the EU when the UK exits. It’s difficult and will mark 2016 out as a watershed credible or not open to challenge. to envisage negotiations producing year and be marbled throughout the Much of it is, particularly when based anything like a positive outcome and Congress. on ideologically loaded assumptions. one that does not impose significant The debates and decisions of the 400 or However, our policy decisions will be detriment on the Scottish economy. so union delegates to the STUC Congress decidedly worse if we simply ignore or The overwhelming consensus in the may appear to some of a cynical debase the properly researched and long-term is Brexit will be bad for jobs, disposition to be largely irrelevant in the considered evidence with which we are growth, labour supply, trade, wages, face of turbulent global events unfolding presented. household income (and its distribution), around us. On the contrary, in that they Similarly, our media has a critical role research, innovation and productivity. reflect the lived experiences of workers to play expanding our common body Nobody should be fooled by the and the considered, evidence-based, of knowledge as well as in holding apparently mild reaction so far. Brexit policies of their unions, they are an politicians to account. In Britain, it is a hasn’t happened yet! essential contribution to the analysis role it has largely abandoned in recent In line with a number of other of the manifest impact of these events years. Much of the British media is commentators, the Fraser of Allander and the responses required to them. populated with unfounded opinion institute, commenting on the impact of The debates and decisions of this year’s passed off as fact, vox pop presented different Brexit scenarios, predicted that Congress are as important as they have as perceived wisdom and superficial ‘the stronger the economic integration been at any point in the STUC’s 120 year coverage of profoundly important with the EU, the smaller the negative history. events. While Trump’s deprecation impact’. Given the tone and content Amongst the most disturbing of the media as ‘fake news’ is part of of the UK Government’s White Paper, characteristics of recent political a cynical and intentional strategy to strong economic integration does discourse has been the attempt by neuter opposition, it is understandable not look like a political objective it some, most notably rightwing Brexiteers his rantings about the media resonate wishes to achieve this, principally as a and Trump machinists, to disparage with many. consequence of its obsession with the considered political debate of the sort This is no way reflects on the issue of the free movement of people that our Congress at its best displays professional integrity of often hard and the widespread disinformation and to demean the value of evidence pressed journalists, but on the nature that it and parts of the media have to justify political decisions, particularly of media ownership in the UK. While deliberately promoted. when they do not align with their fault can be found with the BBC for one, The economic consequences of leaving ideological viewpoint. we would certainly be a lot worse off the EU are likely to be severe and to During the EU referendum and Trump without it. have most impact upon working class election campaigns, we witnessed the During the EU referendum campaign, it communities. The consequences for vilification of the so called ‘liberal elite’ was derelict of the media – broadcasters our employment, union, consumer as being out-of-touch with the concerns in particular – not to force ‘leavers’ to and environmental rights look similarly of ‘ordinary people’ - a charge, of define what leaving meant. With only bleak. course, made ironically by those whose a few notable exceptions, the media The First Minister’s Standing Council on wealth and power make them very simply wasn’t geared up to hold ‘leavers’ Europe has proposed three principles much part of the privileged elite. We to account. Consequently, their absurd, to unpin the Scottish Government’s saw utter disregard for the truth or for contradictory and dishonest arguments approach to rights and social protections evidence to underpin policy decisions were not exposed. It is now patently in the negotiations: non-regression and a desire to make a virtue out of clear that either they had no idea what – what we have we hold; that we do ignorance. the implications of a ‘leave’ vote were or not fall behind progressive future It is a perennial tactic of the powerful were more stupid or dishonest than they developments in the EU or under the to limit access to knowledge of those appeared. If they had been properly European Convention on Human Rights; who might use it to challenge their scrutinised by the media, the outcome and that Scotland continues to take a power. Knowledge and education are may well have been different. progressive approach and seeks to be a 5 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 leader in the field, working with others politicians will do all that they can to standards of consumer, environmental to address common challenges. ensure that does not happen. or employment protection than we I’d like to say that I’m encouraged by the However, if we abandon the EHRC currently enjoy. Trump might claim Brexit White Paper commitment that and the authority of the European to have opposed TTIP. His objective workers’ rights will not just be protected Court of Human Rights, all our rights for a UK trade deal will be TTIP turbo but will be enhanced. I’m not. It is a and fundamental freedoms will be charged. commitment that comes from the same subject only to the determinations of Does all of this make a second Government that introduced the Trade the UK Parliament and judiciary. Even referendum on Scottish independence Union Act and has already pledged if we have a UK Bill of Rights, who will more likely? While this is not part to pursue further deregulation if the protect the citizens of the UK from its of the formal Congress Agenda, it is EU plays hardball in the negotiations. own government – one elected on the inescapable background noise. The We also know that some Tories would votes of a minority - and from a class Scottish Government is right to attempt biased judiciary? That is the purpose like to see a sunset clause inserted to ensure that the democratic wishes served by international conventions into the Great Repeal Bill, the effect of of the people of Scotland in relation to and institutions which will be weakened which would see all EU laws, including the EU are respected. Its differentiated those that underpin many workplace as a result of Brexit along with our option is a compromise which would see rights and other social protections, fundamental human rights. Scotland, in effect, abandon the cause automatically expire after five years. We will also face a significant challenge of independence in favour of remaining It is a commitment that also comes from in keeping up with new progressive in the EU. It’s an approach not without developments as well as the a Government whose leader, Theresa economic, political, legal and diplomatic enforcement of the exiting rights that May, has signaled a desire to have complications and would require we are assured the Great Repeal Bill will the UK withdraw from the European substantial new powers, including over enshrine at least at the point of exit. Convention on Human Rights. Although employment and union rights, to be the UK’s participation in the ECHR stems For the last forty years we have relied devolved to Scotland. from its membership of the Council of on the heavy lifting on these matters to Europe and not the EU, outside the EU be done by the EU. It would be naïve to If the UK Government is resistant to and the membership requirement to think that a UK Government committed this option, another independence ratify the ECHR, the UK Government will to shrinking the public sector and to referendum is inevitable. And, if there have a free hand to pursue the objective deregulation will be willing to invest is a majority in the Scottish Parliament to withdraw and to free itself from the much of the resources repatriated from in favour of such a vote, it should not obligations of international conventions, the EU into enhancing the civil service or be blocked by Westminster. It’s likely to courts and institutions. regulatory capacity necessary to enforce be an eventful year ahead. I expect the Of course, Brexit does not necessarily the rights we have, let alone keep pace 2018 Congress to be equally interesting mean that hard won employment with progressive EU developments. too! and human rights will be lost. Unions, It would be similarly naïve to think that Grahame Smith is general secretary progressive employers, NGOs, civil a trade deal with Trump’s US would be of the Scottish Trades Union Congress society organisations and sensible based on anything other than lower (STUC)

A Declaration to Balfour 100 years on by Eurig Scandrett Your epitaph in Whittingehame proclaims Still unaware they were to be betrayed? You planted peace in your collapsing world. Or should we look for culprits closer to home? Then who to hold responsible for lines Your supercessionist mother, as a child That launched the crisis history unfurled Or anti-Semite wife who shared your love? The letter which in government you signed Whoever, thirty years on, in blood drenched lands, Addressed to Baron Rothschild with your favour? For vanguard thugs and desperate escapees Chaim Weizmann? Your text became a weapon in their hands, Who composed the first design Legitimised a new catastrophe. With sights on riding your colonial power So now you have a thrawn memorial Expanding into lands as yet not won Kibbutz that bears your name in Galilee Which Sykes had carved from Ottoman frontiers Where scores of villages were razed, all As Allenby approached Jerusalem Residents killed or refugees. With troops enhanced with Arab volunteers ______

Eurig is a longstanding and senior UCU activist who has campaigned for the rights of Palestinians. Note: The Balfour Declaration was a letter dated 2 November 1917 from Foreign Secretary, Arthur James Balfour, to Walter Rothschild, 2nd Baron Rothschild, a leader of the British Jewish community, for transmission to the Zionist Federation of Great Britain and Ireland. Tellingly, it stated: ‘His Majesty’s government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people …’.

6 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 Challenging the cuts consensus Mike Kirby lays out what the problem are and how they should be tackled here is much talk of ‘crisis’ in the pressure on health care teams be. Builders, property firms and public services, particularly to respond to these rising demands, politicians say this is driving up Tin local government and with growing gaps in personnel and prices, making things hard for both health, and with integration of insufficient funding. The challenge renters and first-time buyers and health and social care. Budgets for our politicians is to find a leaving tens of thousands of people are cut, essential services for the genuinely sustainable way forward on council waiting lists for a home. more vulnerable in the community for our NHS. Minority governments have to learn are adversely affected just when And, Scottish Government plans to quickly the value of co-operation. they need them most, staff morale shift healthcare from hospitals to For the SNP, it’s been many years is at an all-time low and valuable the community, establish elective since it has had to make concessions experience is being lost through treatment centres and integrate in the Holyrood chamber to pass workforce ‘re-modelling’ and health and social care, have come legislation. However, with the very ‘voluntary severance’. under criticism from Audit Scotland. serious threat of another election Rather than bemoaning this However, Scotland’s integrated being called if the recent budget undoubtedly serious situation, and health and social care authorities failed to pass, ministers had to get believing there’s little prospect of are to be investigated by Scottish up to speed quickly. CoSLA, said a change in government austerity Parliament’s Health and Sport reform of local government was economics and fiscal policies, we Committee, which will consult ‘vitally important’. The Scottish need to ask i) ‘how can we mitigate patients on whether integration Government said: ‘In this parliament the worst effects and offer some authorities are doing enough to we will introduce a bill that will alternatives?’; and ii) ‘are Scotland’s involve patients, carers, the third refresh local democracy by giving public services following England’s sector and other stakeholders in the more power to local communities. into crisis?’ design and future. We will review the roles and Taxpayers across Scotland are facing The new Integrated Joint Boards responsibilities of local authorities further cuts to public services after (IJBs) were launched last April with an aim to transform our councils were warned that they face to oversee smooth transitions democratic landscape, protect and a black hole of half a billion pounds. between health and social care renew public services and refresh A stark report from Audit Scotland services. Official figures show a 5.1% the relationship between citizens, last year forecast a shortfall of more reduction in bed days associated communities and councils’. than £550m in only two years as the with people being unable to be The Scottish Government promises gap between what local authorities discharged from hospital in 2016 more localism but drives towards spend and what they generate compared with 2015, but how more centralisation, evidenced by continues to widen. The Accounts much of this is due to the IJBs is its reform agenda and through the Commission says the gap is £87m in unclear. It’s an open secret that re-emergence of ring-fencing of this financial year, 2016-17. But it is there have been conflicts within the budgets. It gave councils the power expected to rise to £367m next year boards between NHS officials and to raise the basic rate of council tax and then again to £553m in 2018-19. local councillors over how funding by up to 3%. Bills have not gone up The NHS funding gap is ‘just as - which is channelled through the anywhere in Scotland since 2007. real’ in Scotland as other parts of NHS - is spent. The IJBs also have Now around a quarter of people the UK, the BMA has warned. The a duty to involve stakeholders, will pay more regardless of their gap means Scotland will not have and the committee has opened a enough money over the next five consultation to hear from them how Editorial Committee years to provide all the services progress is going. Bill Bonnar Bill Ramsay patients require without ‘urgent and The Scottish Police Authority and Cat Boyd Lilian Macer significant change’, including targets Police Scotland have been hit Sarah Collins Gordon Morgan ‘skewing’ clinical priorities, GP with fresh criticism for failing to Moira Craig Tommy Sheppard shortages, excessive workloads and tackle budget pressures, as unions Carole Ewart Dave Sherry recruitment problems. have criticised the balance of the Gregor Gall Stephen Smellie workforce, as civilian staff are The impact of a growing, ageing Editor Bob Thomson population, which requires more replaced by uniforms, taking cops of the streets. Tommy Kane Convener support from health services as Pat Kelly they manage multiple complex Fewer houses are being built Vice Convener. healthcare needs, is compounded by in Scotland than there used to 7 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 local council’s decisions, as bills in bodies can mitigate the worst of your career, to develop knowledge properties in Bands E to H will rise the cuts to come. Every sensible and practice. This would lead to a automatically through national mitigation measure government and competent, confident and valued changes to the way council tax is public authorities can take reduces workforce, delivering for our calculated which have been made by the number of job losses and communities. the Scottish Government. damage to vital public services and Mike Kirby is the Scottish Secretary But not all councils will opt to put the economy. of UNISON Scotland up the basic rate of council tax by Our Combating Austerity 3% costing a typical bill payer £3-4 a campaign offers signposts to Scottish Left Review month. That councils raise currently measures that would help The Scottish Left Review is a non-profit making publication. Please subscribe or make a donation by going to www. only 15% of their expenditure combat austerity including: scottishleftreview.org where you can pay by credit card contributes to the gearing effect i) contract buyouts and/or or by filling in your details in the form below and returning and the relatively small amounts refinancing of expensive PPP/ to Scottish Left Review, 741 Shields Road, Pollokshields, which can be raised, particularly in PFI projects; ii) refinancing Glasgow G41 4PL authorities with low asset base. We of council and other public Name require a more fundamental cross- bodies debt; iii) Imaginative party review of general taxation and use of council prudential Address use of re-banding options available borrowing and bonds; to the Scottish Government, rather and iv) more efficient than quick fix political slogans. and effective use of local Tel: The Conservative Government’s authority pension funds. austerity programme will result in More specific workforce E-mail: around a further £2bn of cuts to measures would include: a) a Scotland’s public services. There is Scottish Living Wage of £8.25 Subscription/Donation a broad consensus across Scotland (£8.45 from 1 May 2017); b) fair working conditions; Date: that austerity is damaging to public 198 services and the economy. 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8 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 7000LOCAL GOVERNMENT

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We all rely on the services delivered by local government. From childcare to care for our elderly and vulnerable; keeping our LOST THIS YEAR ALONE streets lit to emptying our bins; helping us to stay fit and our THIS YEAR ALONE children to learn – local government is at the heart of Scottish society. So it is vital we ensure councils are properly resourced and capable of meeting the demands placed upon them. £186m Last year alone has seen 7,000 jobs lost across local government and further cuts to services will have a devastating effect on our communities and the economy. These cuts are 2010 /20112015 /2016 unsustainable and UNISON is calling for councils to receive fair real terms cut in Scottish funding to deliver the services the people of Scotland rely on. Government funding for councils

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go to 10www.ucu.org.uk/whyjoin - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 Constructing a charter in construction Pat Rafferty shows how bad employers can be dealt with n January this year, the UCATT pay audit that was put in place alongside The Charter will make sure that health construction union became part of the conciliation service ACAS only and safety standards are rigorously Ithe Unite family. I know the decision looked at those workers who were still implemented and adhered to. to merge was a difficult one for many on the project - not bothering to look at Companies will be expected to promote UCATT members, but we are proud to the treatment of those workers who had and improve opportunities in education now be the biggest construction union already moved on to other jobs. and training, so that local people can in Scotland. We are strong, united, and If this is what is happening on major help fill the construction skills gap looking to the future. That future is one government contracts - where and learn for the future. Companies where construction workers get fair pay, companies are supposed to be operating should also promote and encourage full decent working conditions, respect at along the principles of the Scottish apprenticeships for local young people. work, and a safe working environment. Government’s Fair Work Framework - Any company found to be in breach of Too many employers are still failing to it’s a certainty that things will be even the Charter could have their contract deliver that for their workers. There are worse on other private sector sites. taken off them, and not be eligible for still too many injuries and deaths in the So what can we do? Unite’s officers, new contracts in the future. This is a construction industry. There are still too stewards and health and safety reps welcome step in the right direction. Now many workers who are being swindled will continue to watch companies like that the Charter has been agreed in out of their wages through umbrella a hawk. Where we find bad practice, Renfrewshire and in North Ayrshire, we companies and bogus self-employment. we’ll use every legal and industrial will be pushing for other public bodies And there are too many employers with means at our disposal to stand up for across Scotland to follow their example, managers who think they’re still living our members. But we also want to stop including the Scottish Futures Trust – in the days of the Victorian gangmaster. bad practice before it starts. Last year, the Scottish Government agency that Many of those employers are known Renfrewshire Council and North Ayrshire is bringing private finance into public blacklisters - companies who went Council signed up to a new Construction construction projects. out of their way to ruin the lives of Charter. Construction firms who want Construction workers are the backbone to get work from these councils now workers who had done nothing more of Scotland. They have created every have to agree to work to the Charter. than stand up for their legal rights, road, bridge, tunnel, school, home, It includes a pledge not to use bogus and the rights of their workmates and hospital and workplace. We owe them self-employment schemes, and a clause colleagues. Shamefully, many of those immense respect. And Unite will fight to encouraging firms to become registered companies are still benefiting from make sure they get it. Scottish Government contracts - being Living Wage Employers. Companies must handed public money without giving any also certify that they have not engaged Pat Rafferty is the regional secretary for guarantee that their blacklisting days are in blacklisting workers for any reason. Unite in Scotland over. Laing O’Rourke is the main contractor for the construction of the new Dumfries and Galloway hospital. It has repeatedly blocked unions from getting full adequate access to the site to make sure workers are properly organised, represented and protected. When the First Minister visited the site in January, she publicly praised the company for exceeding its job creation targets, but said nothing about its anti- worker actions. That was incredibly disappointing. It’s also disappointing that the Scottish Government’s flagship construction project - the building of the new Queensferry Crossing - has been marred by the use of umbrella companies to stop workers getting the proper rate for the job. There is evidence that foreign workers were being exploited on the project - brought in to work illegally for low wages. And when unions raised the matter with the Transport Minister, the 11 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 Classroom battles coming Larry Flanagan says the EIS has lessons to teach the Scottish Government ducation has moved centre education, which simply is not One battle ground involving stage politically over the past true. One political party even press teachers, CoSLA and Scottish Eperiod in quite a dramatic released on the notion that 1 in 5 Government will be over pay. The manner. In one sense, this is pupils left primary school unable to stated adherence to public sector welcome as it is right that such a read or write. Untrue, and absolute pay policy, i.e., 1% increases, key public service has a high profile. nonsense! But if it gets a cheap does nothing to address the But it also has a serious downside headline, why not go for it? developing problems around teacher recruitment and retention which is in the fact that politicians across In the midst of all this hot air, already seeing classes sent home, the spectrum seem keener to adopt the EIS, as Scotland’s largest professional learning curtailed, adversarial approaches to every education union, must find a way of and vacancies remaining unfilled. aspect of policy and implementation, maintaining a perspective on issues, The EIS has been campaigning on rather than address the key issues leveraging advantage where we workload pressures – and achieved in a way which supports schools, can in terms of our members and some success with our secondary colleges, teachers and lecturers – our students, and challenging poor members’ action short of strike – but and students. policy where it emerges. There’s no there are other deep issues to be For some, Scottish Government shortage of issues. addressed. Launching a recruitment can do no wrong. For others, it campaign, as Scottish Government can do nothing right. A manifest has done, will have a limited impact concern is that amid the politicking, if students can see financially more the chance to coalesce around rewarding opportunities elsewhere. sensible and constructive support The gaps in STEM (science, for our education system disappears technology, engineering, and maths) beneath an avalanche of accusation recruitment is a portent of where we and counter-claim. are heading, if the issue of salaries The recent dust storm around are not addressed. PISA (Programme for International In further education, the EIS (FELA) Student Assessment) results is a case won a significant pay victory last in point. Yes, it is disappointing that year, through a commitment to there was a dip in performance in The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and industrial action in support of its this set of statistics but has anyone objectives. A year on, however, bothered to look and see why? Skills, John Swinney’s, governance review, whilst still very short on college bosses are seeking to If they did, they would find, for specifics, will certainly be a key renege on the agreement, where example, the group of students area after the local government the welcome return to national who were tested back in 2015 was elections. Some commentators see collective bargaining is being the very same group which had the review process as entirely hostile undermined by a management borne the brunt of the assessment to the interests of local government which is woeful in its understanding overload associated with the new workers. The EIS has a more of public sector ethos. Currently the national qualifications and would nuanced view. Certainly, we wish to EIS is balloting members on action to have been exam weary at the point defend key red line issues such as defend the deal. when they were tested. Additionally, national bargaining and the role of Across the board, public sector the tests were, for the first time, councils as employers but there are unions will be challenged similarly online assessments – a mode which areas of governance, such as the to defend members’ conditions Scottish students are unused to and support provided to schools, where and living standards. Coordination for which there was no preparation. change could be beneficial. of strategies and campaigns would Looking and seeing would have also A major question will be what role be a welcome strengthening of our found that, inexplicably it would CoSLA seeks to play after the May capacity to win these struggles. seem, that this same cohort of local elections. The lack of political Larry Flanagan is the general students went on to produce the coherence it has displayed over the secretary of the Educational Institute second-best set of SQA qualification past period significantly reduced of Scotland (EIS) passes ever! its impact but it may reassert itself Instead, we had an echoing of the after the elections, even if there is narrative of failure around Scottish dominance by a single party. 12 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 Deep organising can rebuild workers’ power Lynn Henderson argues renewal out of adversity is possible nions have weakened Drawing on decades of frontline with the community. Our campaign substantially since the 1970s, activism, McAlevey’s two books detail has drawn substantial community Uand this is a major contributor the method behind this approach. support in Bridgeton, Castlemilk, to the current crisis of social They are full of practical cases where Maryhill and Easterhouse, gaining democracy and socialism. Most people she’s built workers’ power and won endorsement from all Glasgow MPs, would agree on this. But are these industrial battles against seemingly the City Council Labour Group and the trends inevitable or can we reverse massive odds. She stresses workers Green Party. them? have agency and untapped potential However, we also discovered conflict even in parts of the economy where This year, PCS tables a motion to STUC between perceived interests of trade unionism never laid down roots. Congress calling for ‘deep organising’ workers and those of the community. in workplaces. If successful, the motion Her model challenges the one- Where government policies force PCS would represent a significant vote dimensional idea of a worker narrowly members to implement sanctions, of confidence in union organising to concerned with pay and conditions they can become targeted for hostile rebuild our movement. Supporters of at work. For unions to survive, let protests by anti-poverty campaigners. deep organising are certain we can alone rebuild, we need to focus on This shows the need for a wider reverse the decline in working class the ‘whole worker’, she argues. That remit of trade unionism. Ultimately, power, even once globalisation, anti- means that unions cannot afford to the divisions are false. Job centre union laws and austerity are taken leave the politics of public services, workers are active members of their into account. They believe unions housing and discrimination to communities through their friends, must undergo a healthy process of professional politicians. They have sports club, children’s schools, faith self-examination and self-criticism in to be seen on the streets fighting on organisations, and volunteering, order to combat the attacks suffered in issues that matter. political and social activities. However, recent decades. we must work to mobilise all of this to Above all, we cannot assume that make our protests effective. This February, I met American union we have a right to people’s respect. organiser and author, Jane McAlevey, We have to fight for it, face-to-face, There are two schools of thought who has done more than any other and win this respect over and over on union decline. For some, we’re contemporary thinker to define, again by knowing the workplaces and simply managing decline, perhaps popularise and most importantly communities we represent, as well as waiting for change to come like a practice deep organising. She believes by winning victories wherever we can. bolt from the sky. For a growing the way we do trade unionism has number of us, though, we’ve got to When I spoke to Jane, she was eager to become part of the problem. Unions, take responsibility for our fate. We learn about our work in PCS. She asked she says, have been too focused can reverse decline, but this requires how, a union under such sustained on ‘shortcuts’. Mergers, glossy examining the habits, rituals and political, industrial and organisational membership perks, and collaboration routines we take for granted and attack by the Tory government (its with managers have come to asking: ‘how are these contributing to employer), turned the situation around substitute for workplace initiatives. our end goals?’ and began to win again. I explained The current PCS leadership moved that austerity, layoffs and deepening And, yes, a crucial part of that is away from the servicing model almost anti-union laws threatened our very debating end goals. Building workers’ 15 years ago. Yet we have come existence, and that we’ve decided to power is the means to an end, through the Tories’ attacks on our very meet this challenge by deepening our towards a society without poverty, right to exist and this has deepened organisational role in workplaces. discrimination and exploitation. But our organising strategy. to build that goal, we need people to Paradoxically, we found that the What we have come to call ‘organising’ imagine it themselves. The workplace severity of the cuts opened new often means mobilising an already remains the main site of oppression in opportunities. When our employer militant minority. For McAlevey, deep society. Rebuilding confidence in our tried to destroy our leadership organising targets the seemingly collective power is the first condition structures by ending 100% facility apathetic or even hostile majority. It for reversing the reactionary trends time, it put our most experienced involves identifying and building up of four decades, and deep organising leaders back onto the shopfloor. organic leaders, people who listen to may be a crucial step forward in that That attack helped renew grassroots others and who are, therefore, listened process. leadership. Similarly, when employers to, workers who know their work and refused on-site meetings, workers held Lynn Henderson is national officer for their colleagues like nobody else but shorter, sharper, angrier meetings in Public and Commercial Services Union haven’t learned to see themselves as car parks. and Head of Scotland and Ireland hub ‘spokespeople’. Unless these people are drawn into action, our current Most recently, threatened job centre state of managed decline will continue. closures in Glasgow opened up links 13 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 Ending neo-liberalism in post and telecom John Brown says the regulator is doing the market’s bidding he CWU (Communication Workers’ from the overall BT Group and making it still have to provide a public service. Union) represents members in a separate company altogether. This is The pressure within these companies to Royal Mail (including Parcelforce), the latest example of Ofcom’s failure to provide shareholder dividends naturally T leads to severe attacks on the terms and Post Office Ltd, BT, Virgin Media and carry out the basic tenets of its existence many of the staff employed in call which is to oversee the proper provision conditions of those who work within the centres and shops for mobile telephone of services to the population of the UK companies and this, of course, generally companies like O2, EE, Vodaphone and to ensure that those services are leads to a worsening of the service and TalkTalk. Our members are in all provided at an affordable and equitable provided to the public as the users of of the grades and levels within these level for its users and consumers. those services. companies up to line managerial levels From beginning as being a regulator set The lessons we need to learn from all so as you can see we represent the out by the UK parliament to oversee this is that if we cannot renationalise majority of the workers who provide the postal and telecommunications these companies in the near future the services of these companies to the industries, it has now become an then we have to rework the terms Scottish and UK public. organisation that focuses in on only one of operation and objectives of the It is becoming increasingly apparent or two of the primary reasons laid out regulators like Ofcom to ensure that that the regulatory regime run by Ofcom in the terms for its operation by the UK their primary responsibilities reflect the under which our two main employers parliament. One of these is that Ofcom need to provide continuity of service to (Royal Mail and BT) operate is neither continues to ‘home’ in on is the duty the service users and that they are in serving the companies nor the users of to promote and stimulate competition position to defend those services not the services provided by the companies within those industries in the neo-liberal to attack them and the companies that appropriately or correctly. Ofcom as a belief that competition always leads to provide them. regulator is continually interfering with lowered prices and better and increased John Brown is the Scottish Regional the operations of these companies levels of provision across the market. Secretary of the CWU union by setting goals and targets that are This worship of the market, much unachievable without seriously and loved by the deleteriously impacting upon the Conservative services provided by the companies. party and the The regulation laid down for Royal Mail right wing press to operate under requires access to the and media mail system for ‘competitor’ companies of the UK, of at prices and conditions that are never course almost and will never be made available to the always leads general public or even to SMEs that to worsened could use the mail service to grow their service provision Organise to rebuild businesses greatly and thus increase and increased employment (and tax take) across the prices for the workers’ power whole spectrum of work and industry. consumer as companies The regulator frequently criticises and which had Demand fair pay tries to interfere with the agreements previously on terms and conditions reached by the been natural for fair work CWU on behalf of its membership across publicly owned the UK, while doing nothing to deal with utility service PCS send greetings to all the terms and conditions provided (or, in providers have many cases not provided) by competitor been privatised delegates attending the 120th companies whether in the letters or and have now parcels markets. become private Annual Congress of the STUC The very same regulator oversees the utilities who telecoms industry and spends much primarily only of its time criticising and interfering answer to in the operations of BT as the largest shareholders and investors telecom service provider in the UK. In Mark Serwotka Janice Godrich Lynn Henderson - who have fact, the latest interference by Ofcom General Secretary President National Offi cer in the operation of BT is to demand no interest in that BT remove its wholly owned anything other subsidiary company, Openreach (which than financial provides, maintains and operates the gain from these Public and Commercial Services Union | pcs.org.uk telephone and broadband network), companies who 14 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 Ending neo-liberalism in post and telecom ABC in HE: austerity, Brexit and John Brown says the regulator is doing the market’s bidding centralisation Mary Senior says there a perfect storm coming the way of universities cotland’s universities are in for a stormy time ahead. The Tory Sgovernment’s austerity squeeze at Westminster is being passed on once again to the higher education sector in Scotland in the latest Scottish Budget. We’re feeling the impact of the UK government’s Higher Education and Research Bill north of the border too. The seismic effect of last year’s Brexit vote (along with the rejection supported a Legislative Consent Motion contributions to our system here in of ‘experts’ and all that this entails) is (LCM) which introduced some of the Scotland. Around a quarter of academic already playing out negatively in higher worst elements of the Westminster researchers in Scotland’s universities are education across the UK. It is certainly Government’s Higher Education and from the EU, and international staff are a challenging time to be working or Research Bill into Scotland. The main vital to the reputation of our sector. studying at our universities. aim of this piece of legislation is to link The recent Scottish Budget did no tuition fee hikes in England to ‘teaching favours for universities. A further cut quality’. The ‘leave’ vote, and the manner in to funding, on top of last year’s 3.1% which the UK Government has failed However, UCU has been critical of decrease at a time when universities to give any meaningful guarantees the proposed Teaching Excellence about EU staff and students continuing are being quite rightly asked to do more Framework (TEF) which purports to do to work, live and study in the UK post- to widen access to higher education, is this, given the arbitrary metrics it plans Brexit, is particularly damaging. Whilst tough. This, on top of increasing costs, to use do nothing to measure teaching it has been helpful that the Scottish overheads and pensions contributions, quality, and it does not sit well with the Government was able to guarantee that makes life even harder for those at the typical four year undergraduate degree students applying in 2017 to study in the chalk face. in Scotland. The Bill introduces more next academic year will have their fees competition into the system, making UCU warmly welcomed last year’s paid for the duration of their courses, students consumers not learners, and Widening Access Commission report there are still far too many uncertainties, raises the prospect of new private recommendations - a range of well barriers and negativity which is deeply providers and the threat of a ‘Trump thought out proposals to ensure that alarming for higher education. the playing field is levelled for everyone university’ in the UK. It was good to see universities’ with ability to undertake university level UCU is strongly opposing the Bill as wholeheartedly supporting February’s study. However, supporting students it passes through Westminster, and ‘One Day Without Us’ initiative, and UCU from non-traditional backgrounds to gave oral evidence against the LCM to was pleased to get behind Universities enter and successfully complete their Holyrood’s Education Committee. Sadly, Scotland’s ‘Scotland Welcomes the studies requires resources, time and the Committee felt compelled to allow World’ campaign, to challenge the support from academic and support Scottish universities to compete in the populist racism and xenophobia staff. So the efficiencies that are already TEF. However, the good news is that narrative that seems to have emerged being made, on top of the increasing campaigning by the National Union of during and since the referendum demands upon staff for research and Students and UCU on campuses has campaign. A strong, independent, free teaching excellence, make the important meant that only five Scottish universities and accessible public education system widening access goals just that more have actually signalled their intention to is going to be so important to enable us difficult to achieve. go into the next round of the TEF. to face the challenges ahead. It is vital The challenging financial situation for The sector is reeling from the that we continue to make the case for Scottish higher education is underlined referendum decision last year to Scotland’s universities. leave the European Union, and is still by the fact that we’ve seen UCU Mary Senior is the Scotland official for assessing the possible consequences members fighting back against actual the University and College Union (UCU) or threatened redundancies in over for universities. Education does a quarter of universities in the past not have borders, and is a global eighteen months. This doesn’t bode well community. Thousands of students for the further cuts to budgets that are from the EU study in Scotland and likely to be on the horizon before 2020. the UK and, indeed, international and European students provide essential Disappointingly, the Scottish academic, cultural, social and financial Government and Parliament last year 15 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 Fighting the flames of austerity for fire and rescue Denise Christie asks what price is being put upon life he late Tony Benn commented: Independent research by Greenstreet remains suitably resourced with ‘If we can find the money to kill Bernam indicates there could be up enough firefighters who have the skills, Tpeople, we can find the money to 200 more deaths across the UK by equipment, and infrastructure to deal to help people.’ And, no one needs 2020 purely as a result of increasing with them. help more than when they need to response times to incidents. Firefighters are there when you need call on the Fire and Rescue Service. In Previously, there were mandated them. Now is the time we need you. April 2013, the Scottish Government response times which the Fire and Think about the men and women who merged the existing eight Fire and Rescue Service adhered to when will come running when your house Rescue Services to create a single mobilised to an incident. These have is on fire, when your workplace is Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. This been scrapped. Now the public have threatened by a gas leak, when your merger was to remove duplication in no way of knowing when help will son or daughter has a car accident and order to mitigate some of the funding arrive when they dial 999. One day, it lend your support to the Fire Brigades’ reductions that would inevitably flow might be you on the end of a phone Union campaign by lobbying your MSP from the politically motivated austerity waiting and frightened. to provide future investment and to agenda. But these savings have now stop the cuts to the Fire and Rescue been exhausted. This situation is totally unacceptable Service. As Chomsky said ‘What is to the Fire Brigades’ Union which The continued year-on-year cuts going on with austerity is really class is continually fighting the flames of are now slashing the frontline, war. Austerity under recession makes austerity. The Scottish Government despite assurances from the Scottish no sense. It just makes the situation Government that this would not needs to provide future financial worse.’ happen. Since 2013, we have seen settlements for the Fire and Rescue Service that recognise the vital Firefighters, trades unionists and nearly 700 frontline firefighters’ everyone in Scotland must unite jobs lost and five out of the eight role firefighters play in keeping communities safe - not just by against this attack. We must come emergency fire control rooms have together to preserve the principle closed which has disproportionately responding to emergencies but through education, fire safety checks that everyone, no matter where they impacted upon women. Staffing levels live, is entitled to the protection and have depleted so much that there and contingency planning - and protecting our economy. Firefighters security afforded by the Fire and can be no guarantee that frontline Rescue Service. Hear Tony’s Benn’s appliances and control rooms are must have the resources and tools to do the job. voice ringing in your ears, ‘Don’t just adequately maintained and crewed at stand in the corner and disagree … all times. The risks in our communities are make demands from the Government When a helicopter crashed through always changing and the job of a to stop austerity.’ firefighter changes with them. It’s the roof of the Clutha Vaults Bar Denise Christie is the Scottish Regional vital to nationally assess these risks in Glasgow on 29 November 2013, Treasurer for the Fire Brigades’ Union the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to ensure the Fire and Rescue Service deployed 125 firefighters to the scene The FBU sends solidarity greetings within minutes. They performed complex search and rescue techniques to all delegates and visitors attending STUC Congress in very difficult circumstances; 2017 specialist firefighters shored up unstable areas and excavated other parts that had collapsed. Ten people tragically died as a result of the incident and over thirty people were injured. These figures might be much worse The democratic and professional voice of firefighters across the UK were an incident like this to happen Executive Council Member: Chris McGlone again at a time where resources are Scottish Secretary : Stephen Thomson over stretched due to the continued Scottish Chair: Gordon McQuade cuts. This can compromise the Scottish Treasurer: Denise Christie ability to respond quickly, in the www.fbuscotland.org right numbers and with firefighters who have the appropriate skills. 16 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 We can’t just play along any more Caroline Sewell explains why being a musician is a perilous undertaking t’s a fact. People love to consume established residents from any noise to witness cuts to this provision, music and increasingly to have it at emanating from new music venues resulting in a reduction in opportunities Itheir fingertips via streaming sites in the area by enforcing that the new at best, and redundancies at worst for such as Spotify and Youtube. For those venue mitigates the effects of the instrumental music teachers. gifted enough to become professional ‘noise’. musicians, it is a labour of love to Whilst the Musicians’ Union welcomes produce music. However, within this Recently, legislation has been passed the Creative Scotland’s Arts Strategy, it love affair - in addition to the fact that at Westminster which has made some would seem that there are far greater the very nature of undertaking this positive steps towards achieving steps which are required to be taken kind of work is both intermittent and something along these lines. The new in order to secure and deliver the incredibly low paid - lies a dichotomy regulations mean developers are now ambitions which it sets out. Meanwhile, from which stems so many of the issues required to seek prior approval on Scottish Labour pledged an end to facing working musicians today. noise impacts before a change of use the cuts to culture and to ‘harness from an office to residential building the creativity’ in their 2016 election More than half of Musicians’ Union can be carried out. While we remain manifesto, which certainly seems to be members earn less than £20,000 a year hopeful that this is the beginning of a in line with the British Labour Party’s and around 60% have been expected sea change, to date there have been no Charter for Culture and the Arts. Whilst to - and have undertaken - work for such developments from the Scottish there is recognition of the economic free. Add to this the fact that life as a Government. value of our creative industries and professional musician also requires a producers across much of the board, commitment to practice, fundraising and Our five National Companies have perhaps this requires to be taken continued professional development faced steady cuts in recent years. These more seriously as these industries and which ensures that most musicians, have levelled off to an extent this year. those who work within them remain although working, are not always However, the Youth Music Initiative has vulnerable and their financial futures earning. Therefore, the majority have to seen a huge 10% cut, after enjoying uncertain. undertake more than one job. Earning a some years being unaffected by cuts to Caroline Sewell is the Regional Organiser consistent level of income is unheard of budget spend in this area. for Scotland and Northern Ireland for the for most and these financial pressures Local authorities continue to have Musicians’ Union force many professional musicians to autonomy over instrumental music stop practicing as they are unable to provision in schools. claim benefits (such as unemployment However, the disparity and other associated benefits) to between the services support them due to their professional provided has never status. been wider. We Music venues are closing at a rapid rate know that there across the country, often as a result is a correlation of planning legislation which fails to between music take into account the cultural needs education budgets of our towns and cities by protecting and participating our grassroots live music venues. The individuals, which results of this often manifest themselves leaves music in noise abatement orders and these instructors in hugely important cultural spaces, where somewhat of a artists develop new audiences and precarious situation. where audiences discover new music, Subsequently, being threatened with having their instrumental music licenses revoked, or even closure in instruction remains more extreme cases. a non-statutory provision – despite The Musicians’ Union have been the fact that all 32 lobbying, along with partners at local authorities the Music Venues Alliance, for the choose to provide introduction of protective legislation it. This is not all that such as the Agent of Change principle, surprising, as we which would ensure that pre-existing know that studying venues do not have to fork out for music has a positive expensive sound proofing in order to impact on other areas satisfy the new neighbours. Similarly, of academic learning this kind of legislation would protect and yet, we continue 17 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 Workers need a voice but Taylor can’t provide it Sarah Glenister lays out an agenda for progressive reform n 14 February, Matthew Employment Tribunal. No amount labour inspectorate to ensure the Taylor - heading up the of ‘empowerment’ will encourage enforcement of workers’ rights - Ogovernment’s review into workers to risk their livelihoods by either in-house through collectively employment law in the gig economy daring to speak out. The destructive agreed dispute procedures, or at a - began a tour of Britain to speak to imbalance of power is embedded free-at-the-point-of-use tribunal. We workers and employers about their within labour law itself. also call for a seat at the boardroom experiences in the workplace in table for workers so that they may But if today’s employment law order to develop recommendations have a say on executive pay and incubates exploitation, we believe for reform. Ahead of the tour, so that they may advise bosses of tomorrow’s can be used to reverse it. Taylor told the national press that problems on the frontline, thereby, In our Manifesto for Labour Law - 25 the imbalance of power between increasing the productivity of their recommendations for the reform of workers and employers has led some organisations. employment law, the principles of workers to feel like ‘slaves’, and some which have already been adopted employers to exploit the desperation by the Labour Party, a team of 15 of a powerless workforce. Workers, And, we call for a voice for workers he said, must be given a voice in leading labour lawyers and academics at a national level too, through the order to put paid to this destructive draw upon a wide evidence-base re-establishment of a Ministry of imbalance. and international comparisons to Labour with a cabinet seat, and call for comprehensive reforms. We through the creation of a National Indeed, the Institute of Employment believe these reforms will provide Economic Forum, at which workers’ Rights has long called for workers’ for a democratic workplace - and representatives would join other key voices to be strengthened in order a democratic economy - in which stakeholders to assess the impact of that they can resist the abuses of workers truly can have a voice. policy on all sections of society. unscrupulous employers and protect their own interests by negotiating for We call for a universal definition Taylor has correctly identified that fair wages and conditions. Taylor’s of ‘worker’, which would apply to workers need a voice, but he will preliminary recommendations, anyone in employment and deem report to politicians who instituted however, are tokenistic in light of them eligible for the full suite of the Trade Union Act 2016 to weaken today’s labour law landscape, which employment rights from day one. workers’ bargaining power; who overwhelmingly stacks the odds By such means, will we remove the erected barriers to access to justice in favour of businesses and leaves temptation for employers to hire so that workers may not speak out; workers out in the cold. agency ‘workers’, who do not have and who extended the qualifying the right to claim unfair dismissal, in period for unfair dismissal to two Written terms and conditions; place of permanent ‘employees’, who years so that employers cannot be the right to request a permanent do. held to account. position; the ability to check if you are legitimately classified as We call for a shift in the focus Strengthening workers’ voices will ‘self-employed’ - armed with such of employment law away from take more than ‘empowerment’; knowledge and power, workers will statutory individual rights (which it will take substantial change. The pressure their employers into a fair themselves would be strengthened) Institute of Employment Rights is wage and a decent job says Taylor. to collectively agreed wages and currently drafting legislation for this conditions. Legal minimums simply very purpose, but we cannot do it He conveniently forgets those facing provide employers a floor to aim for alone. To support our aims, please benefit sanctions if they do not (as Sports Direct CEO Mike Ashley share our Manifesto page, purchase accept any role they are offered; the said in defence of his company’s poor your own copy of the Manifesto for estimated 3m precarious workers pay: ‘I don’t set the minimum wage’). Labour Law, and consider donating to who do not even have the right to Unions, which allow workers to our Project Development Fund. guaranteed hours; the ‘employees’ strengthen their voices by organising Sarah Glenister is the National in so-called secure work who have collectively, would negotiate at both Development Officer at the Institute no right to claim unfair dismissal sectoral and enterprise levels to of Employment Rights (http://www. until they have been in their job provide for fair pay and conditions in ier.org.uk/) at least two years; and those who the workplace. do have rights but are charged up to £1,200 to enforce them at We call for the establishment of a 18 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 Partners for progressive change? Chris McEleny argues the forthcoming local elections can result in political progress e are fast approaching the were not the most important aspect. not thousands of services: education; local authority elections, Rather, it was the level of political schools; health and social care; roads; Wat which you will have the debate, participation and the high level street lighting; employability schemes. opportunity to decide who best to run of voters that turned out to play their The list could literally fill the rest of this your council for the next five years. It is part in the democratic process. page and the next. Many of the services important to reflect how more politically Turnout in local council elections is a council delivers are mandatory - so inspired the people of Scotland have historically low. However we have the our councils must have schools, and become over the past three years and opportunity to cast our vote to shape our councils must protect expenditure not take this for granted. the future of the very place we live in. in health and social care to protect the Since 2014, we have had a referendum Education, roads, social care, mental most in need in our area. on Scottish Independence, a UK General health services and so – those are the However, for many areas, how much Election, a Scottish Parliament Election kinds of things that are on the ballot we spend and where we spend it comes and an EU referendum. Since the EU paper. Empowering communities across down to political priorities. In theory, referendum in June last year, our news Scotland, protecting public services, we could have the best roads in the has been dominated by what leaving increasing child care provision – that is world if every available resource was the EU will look like. It looks now that what we are voting about. we are faced with the prospect of a spent on them but, this would mean hard Brexit being imposed upon us to For too many years child poverty no money would be left to spend on appease members of the Tory party. But has been a blight on Inverclyde - the keeping libraries open across Inverclyde, just what does a hard Brexit look like? area I represent – and, indeed, across or having first class leisure facilities or Scotland. It is time to be ambitious, it is perhaps cutting back on bin collections Will it mean the end of the right for time to be bold, and it is time to reach would be required to pay for them. young people to study and work in further than those that came before. It is Europe, the end of employment rights time to put every resource possible into For too long councils across Scotland and protection for pregnant women in tackling poverty and by the end of the have attacked the Scottish Government the workplace, and with all these issues next decade eradicating child poverty instead of seeking to work in partnership now in the hands of the most right wing across the country. A tough target, a to achieve better outcomes for the government in a generation? target many will say is impossible but an people we are elected to serve. It is time Scottish businesses who export goods ambition worth voting for. for a new relationship that sees councils work with the Scottish Government to to Europe could face charges to do so. Key to achieving any desired outcomes deliver our shared aspirations. In total 80,000 jobs could be at risk by will be funding. Many people often leaving the EU in such a reckless ‘out ask what their money is spent on. In Chris McEleny is an SNP councillor for at any cost’ manner. Although I voted truth, the council delivers hundreds – if Inverclyde ‘remain’ in the EU referendum, the people I know that voted to ‘leave’ did not vote ‘leave’ for the above reasons and Theresa May’s Tory Government should remember that when forcing Scotland out of Europe under such terms. In the last six months, the Jimmy Reid Foundation has issued a number of Out of the four elections and policy papers on public sector reform (by Dave Watson) and local government referendums mentioned, I voted in finance (by Jim Cuthbert), launched a report in the Scottish Parliament against all four but only got the outcome I wanted in two of them. I was, of the renewal of Trident (by Mike Danson and colleagues) which then led to a course, delighted to cast my vote to debate on the report itself in the Scottish Parliament, presented evidence to the help elect an SNP MP and MSP but was Scottish Affairs Committee of the House of Commons and held a joint meeting heartbroken at the result of the Scottish on the human rights implications of Brexit with the Scottish Human Rights independence referendum and the Commission. day after EU referendum defeat I think All this takes times and resources – both of which add up to the expenditure many people of my generation felt more of considerable amounts of money. We are extremely grateful to our individual European than they had at any other supporters as well as the unions that affiliate to the Foundation. point in their life. However, to carry on at this level of activity – much less to do more – we need Therefore, as we go to the polls in further financial support. May, it is understandable that a voting Please consider giving us your financial support by visiting fatigue may be kicking in and this is http://reidfoundation.org/ and then http://reidfoundation.org/sustaining/ the backdrop to the people who will where you can take out a standing order or make a one off donation. be casting another of their votes. The Yours sincerely, Professor Gregor Gall, director, Jimmy Reid Foundation results of the aforementioned elections 19 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 It’s as simple as ABC: austerity budget cuts Joe Cullinane argues councils can no longer manage the cuts – they must fight them n the 15 December 2016 I A number of other local authorities fight to the Scottish Government to received, via the President of followed suit. The SNP Group on stop the cuts to communities? Who OCoSLA’s office, an ‘offer’ from North Ayrshire Council told me to will call them out over their disdain Scotland’s Finance Secretary, Derek ‘stop bickering and get to grips with for local democracy? Mackay. That ‘offer’ was to cut North managing the councils finances’. In If our experience in North Ayrshire Ayrshire Council’s revenue budget other words, manage the cuts. As we is anything to go by, there will be no by £9.2m and a flat cash settlement now know the Greens did a budget fight from local government. SNP (i.e, no increase) in our capital deal. There is no denying that it councils across the country will fall budget. Mackay’s ‘offer’ included is better than December’s draft into line and manage the cuts. The the demand that all council leaders budget but, despite the spin applied, impact on jobs and public services write to him by the 20 January 2017 it is still a cut to council revenue will be grave. The elderly will go to state whether they accepted his budgets. without care packages. Young people offer. It went on to state that any And it is non-recurring with only will wait longer for Mental Health council failing to accept the offer will £29m coming from tax changes, support. Our streets will be cleaned ‘receive a worse settlement’. the rest ‘accounting changes’. The less and bin collections reduced. Mackay proceeded to trail TV and same SNP Group who welcomed the Education budgets will be cut, radio studios to proclaim that his draft budget and told us to manage harming our young people’s future draft budget was not only a ‘fair the cuts now said the budget deal whilst the governance will be taken settlement for local government’ was ‘fair’ and would ‘protect public out of local authority control as but delivered increased funding services’. Of course, they also had the SNP’s centralising agenda goes for ‘local services’. Our local papers another attack on me because, to unabated. More jobs will be lost, on top of the 40,000 already gone ran the press release from the SNP quote, ‘working with the Scottish from Scottish councils, yet there will opposition group, who resigned Government achieves more than still be no taskforce to support the from administration back in August, challenging it’. workers. ‘warmly welcoming’ a draft budget that was ‘progressive’. Enough was All this needs to be at forefront of enough. voters’ minds when they enter the polling booth this May. They are Since May 2012, I had sat on the not voting for one flag or the other, opposition benches in the council they are voting for the very future chamber and watched millions of of their local public services and the pounds being cut from our budget. associated jobs. We need Labour I had watched jobs go and public councilors elected across the country services be reduced or completely to protect our public services. withdrawn. I watched how, with a That last quote is what is important majority in the Scottish Parliament, Joe Cullinane is a Labour councillor for the future of local government the SNP Scottish Government had and the leader of North Ayrshire in Scotland. Following the SNP/ threatened local councils with even council Green budget deal, the starting point deeper cuts if they refused to accept for next year’s local government their deal and I watched an SNP settlement will be just £29m better Update: on Wednesday 1 March, North administration that put up no fight than the £327m real terms cut Ayrshire councillors became the first against any of this. proposed in the draft budget. council to set a ‘no-cuts’ budget. This I wasn’t going to do the same. means using its reserves, its projected This year’s Scottish Budget, which underspend and changes to council tax Our communities deserve better has increased by £418m in cash to invest an additional £12.3m in the than councils managing austerity. terms, is projected to be the best local community and to stop Scottish I penned my letter to Mackay settlement over the coming years – government cuts. Joe Cullinane said: ‘I and made it clear that we would so what sort of ‘offer’ can council’s have proposed the most radical, anti- accept no offer of cuts, especially austerity budget seen in North Ayrshire expect from the SNP in future years when MSPs had not been allowed for many years and I am absolutely then? to exercise their democratic delighted that it has passed. It stops the mandate to scrutinise his minority What happens if, as the polls predict, cuts and invests in our future. Source: Government’s draft budget nor vote the SNP win control of a majority of Morning Star 4 March 2017. on it. Scottish councils? Who will take the 20 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 A right danger! Carole Ewart surveys the challenges and task ahead in defending human rights he Jimmy Reid Foundation (JRF) social justice. laws’. We can speculate as to which and the Scottish Human Rights individuals and groups they don’t want A lot of information to take in but a Commission’s meeting ‘Brexit: to assert their rights. T consensus emerged from the audience rights, risks and responsibilities: What’s that enforceable rights are too often What is clear, though, is that the at stake for human rights in Scotland?’ invisible in communities, workplaces and Conservative Government is hostile was held on 22 February to encourage services across Scotland - so the danger to people collectively asserting informed debate and provided an is we won’t miss them if taken away their economic and social rights so opportunity for people to equally enjoy by Brexit. Therefore, targeted action is concocted and passed the Trade Union Article 10 of the European Convention needed to inform people of their rights, Act 2016. An undercurrent over the on Human Rights (ECHR) which is the enable people to assert their rights last few years from the Conservatives right to form an opinion by receiving and including through advocacy services, is that it is minded to withdraw from imparting information. and generate a culture and practice of the ECHR, which would threaten our Human rights are supposed to be core rights across our 10,000 public services membership of the 47 State Council of to the operation of European: ‘The so people are served better and more Europe marking a further descent into Union is founded on the values of fairly. An imminent opportunity is the isolationism. local government elections in May 2017 respect for human dignity, freedom, Whilst the Jimmy Reid Foundation has when we can engage with people who democracy, equality, the rule of law no policy on Brexit because it does and respect for human rights, including have the resources and power to act. not take such positions, it did take the the rights of persons belonging to opportunity to restate that workers’ minorities. These values are common to rights have been under systematic the Member States in a society in which attack for decades from successive UK pluralism, non-discrimination, tolerance, Governments. There is a danger that by justice, solidarity and equality between focusing on the uncertainty of Brexit, women and men prevail’ (Treaty on the we get distracted from focusing on the Functioning of the European Union, powers which the Scottish Parliament Article 2). and the Scottish Government can The EU’s delivery strategy promises an exercise, under the Scotland Acts, internal market that works for all, aiming to make human rights concrete. For at full employment and social progress example, refusing to reward companies whilst protecting and improving the that blacklist workers with public quality of the environment’, combatting sector contracts in the construction social exclusion and discrimination, sector is but one instance of using such promoting social justice and ‘solidarity powers. There is also the opportunity between the generations’ and protect to influence the detail of the ‘Scottish the rights of the child’ ((Treaty on the National Action Plan on Business and Functioning of the European Union, Human Rights’ which is targeted at Article 3) the private sector including companies The meeting examined other imminent owned by the public sector and The ten speakers and contributors threats to our human rights. Despite more generally move politicians from provided short presentations on the promises of a British Bill of Rights in statements of principle, to commitments potential impact of Brexit on workers’ 100 days following the UK Parliament on action within specified timelines. rights, equality and discrimination elections in 2015, the Conservative including the four major directives Government has again postponed its As our human rights are under attack at on gender equality, protecting the development explaining the issue will many levels, informed and co-ordinated environment and the opportunity for a be revisited after the UK leaves the EU. action is, therefore, now essential. Scottish Bill of Rights. Of course, the promise is a threat as the Carole Ewart is a human rights Bill is tied to abolition of Labour’sHuman Grahame Smith of the STUC updated the consultant and member of the Jimmy Rights Act 1998 which the Conservatives audience on the First Minister’s Standing Reid Foundation project board condemned as ‘damaging’. Council on Europe and information was References provided on the difference between Instead, the political chat is about For the consolidated Treaty on rights in the EU and rights from the ‘reforming and modernising our human the Functioning of the European quite separate Council of Europe rights legal framework’, ‘restoring Union (TFEU) Article 2 see http:// through which we can access the ECHR. common sense to the application of eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/ There was a plea to maintain links with human rights laws’ and ‘protecting TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A12012M%2FTXT those other campaigners and activists existing rights, which are an essential across Europe post-Brexit who will part of a modern, democratic society, For more information on the Council continue to fight to ensure that the EU and better protect against abuse of the of Europe, see http://www.coe.int/en/ lives up to its ideals on human rights and system and misuse of human rights web/about-us/who-we-are 21 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 Tam Dalyell – an appreciation Neil Findlay recalls a friend and mentor was speaking at a miners’ justice cases in the days before computers prevent British military action in Iraq. meeting in Edinburgh when they and email. The ink pen and scrawled Tam had served in the army so could Inews came through of Tam’s letter was Tam’s preferred method not be accused of being a cowardly death. Poignant, as he had given of communication. He was a very pacifist but he consistently opposed his unwavering support to the kind and funny man who enjoyed military intervention abroad. Polkemmet miners during the 1984- laughing at the absurd, with great Tam had a contact book that was the 1985 strike, naming the future head guffaws and heaving shoulders. envy of every MP and always fiercely of MI5, Stella Rimington, as a regular In Parliament, Tam was fearless and protected his sources. This served attendee as a security services said that his public school education him well over the years. In the 1970s observer on the Whitburn pit picket at Eton gave him ‘the hide of a and 1980s, he fought huge battles line. rhino’. It made him un-embarrass- with the then SNP leader, William Tam was my greatest political friend able, and with that he often found Wolfe, for the West Lothian seat. and a mentor for almost 30 years. himself out on his own campaigning Wolfe at one point reduced Tam’s He was without doubt one of the on issues that the Labour leadership majority to just a few thousand. greatest parliamentarians of the or government of the day would However, his campaign against last 50 years. An old Etonian with rather he kept quiet about. But that devolution the following election, a cut glass accent who lived in the never deterred Tam. saw him secure one of the largest historic family castle at the Binns, he majorities in Scotland. There was not a chance of him may not have seemed to have much keeping quiet. He saw it as his As a parliamentarian he was the in common with his working class absolute duty to speak up and on best of the best. If many of today’s constituents in communities like issues he felt strongly about and politicians had an ounce of Tam’s Blackburn, Armadale, Fauldhouse do his very best for the people he independence of mind and were and Whitburn. But Tam was represented. On huge issues such more willing to ignore the diktat genuinely loved by the people as Iraq, Lockerbie, the Falklands, from party managers our politics he represented and developed a devolution and much, much more he would be in much better shape. tremendous relationship with them. spoke up. And when he did, people Tam was a school teacher, a Whether it was car factory workers listened. scientist – writing a weekly column at British Leyland, the steel workers in the New Scientist - a bee keeper, He pursued issues with 100% at Menzies or the women at Plessey, an author, a socialist, a unionist, commitment and dogged he represented them all. He had a parliamentarian, a father, a determination. His work on the memory of an elephant and grandfather, a friend and a great, the Falklands and the Belgrano had tremendous recall for names great man. almost brought about Thatcher’s – a great political skill and made resignation. His work opposing Neil Findlay is a Labour MSP for the many lifelong friends amongst the devolution saw him tour the country Lothians thousands of constituents who debating the future of Scotland benefited from his help. with Jim Sillars and, despite them On one occasion, my brother had to being on opposite sides of a very An appeal go to his surgery for help. On turning passionate debate, they remained up, the smell in the small community good friends. That was the way he and invitation centre office was horrendous. did politics. He often said to me Tam took details of the case and ‘disagree with people politically but Scottish Left Review had a ten minute chat, apparently don’t fall out personally.’ I’m afraid I is always seeking to expand and oblivious to the foul smell – only on may not have totally lived up to his renew its range of contributors. leaving did John notice that Tam had mantra. a very large peacock shit on the front He visited the Middle East many If you’d like to write an article on his shoe. He kept a number of the times and had an interest in the or propose a theme for the birds at the Binns. region because of his father’s work magazine, please get it touch Tam was completely committed there during and after the Second with the editor, to public service and along with World War. Along with people like Professor Gregor Gall at his wife, Kathleen, they were a George Galloway, Alice Mahon [email protected] brilliant and dedicated team dealing and Tony Benn, he used every to discuss either. diligently with tens of thousands of parliamentary device to try and 22 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017

P O A The Professional Trades Union for Prison, Correctional & Secure Psychiatric workers

SCOTLAND

Promoting

and

POA Scotland are at the forefront of developing protecting and professionalising the role of a prison officer those who in Scotland. Highly skilled, motivated and professional members transforming the lives of

protect those in custody and delivering a safer Scotland. society

23 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 ASLEF CALLS FOR AN INTEGRATED, PUBLICLY OWNED, ACCOUNTABLE RAILWAY FOR SCOTLAND (which used to be the SNP’s position – before they became the government!)

Mick Whelan Tosh McDonald Kevin Lindsay General Secretary President Scottish O cer ASLEF the train drivers union- www.aslef.org.uk

 Trade Union Recognition agreements on all construction sites

 Adherence to collective agreements

 Direct employment

 No blacklisting

 No public contracts for blacklisters

 No Bogus self employment or umbrella schemes

 Protect skills

 Proper apprenticeships The Rank & File was born out of an attack on the skills of electricians in 2011 by eight of the major mechanical and electrical construction companies in the UK. We have also been in the  Health & Safety forefront in the fight against blacklisting with our partners, the Blacklist Support Group. We seek

the adherence of collective agreements on all construction sites and recognition of all elected shop stewards and safety reps. The Rank & File, who is made up mostly of Unite members but Contact: also count members of GMB and Ucatt among our ranks, are determined to change the face of construction for the benefit of working people by transforming the attitudes of companies in the Email: [email protected] industry to realise the benefits of having an organised workforce. To do this we need the assistance of clients such as the Scottish government, local authorities, NHS and Scotland’s Universities and Colleges through their procurement processes, in line with the Scottish Unite Scottish Rank and File government’s Fair Work Framework. Together we can make a difference. @ScotRankFile

24 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 Economics for the 99% John McDonnell explains the background to his economic roadshows wenty first century Britain social mobility; declining public through to Lesley Brennan, Richard faces numerous difficulties services; rising inequality; uneven Leonard MSP and David Conway Tand challenges. Organising economic development dependent and so many more we will be our economy differently must be at on class and geographical location; debating and discussing how we can the front and centre of providing work that barely allows people transform our economy. We will be solutions to these challenges. An to put food on their plates; and doing the same in Cardiff, Newcastle, economy is surely first and foremost unprecedented levels of industrial Birmingham and Bristol in the about people and how they are decline. Yet at the same time, we’ve coming months and have already treated within society. It is about seen wealth coalesce round a tiny done so in Liverpool and London. their role and opportunities within elite at the top who make deals It has never been clearer that we society and whether the wider in the City of London but do little, need to spread the fruits of our political and economic structures if anything to help the productive economy far more equitably. I would ensure people feel valued, secure economy. urge people to come along, to take and comfortable in their lives and Jeremy Corbyn has put the need for part and to help us develop Labour’s interactions with others. an economy that works for all at the plans for a more prosperous An economy should not be about heart of his vision for Labour and economy, but even more crucially shareholder dividend and about over the next year we’ll be helping - for an economy where that growing the wealth of the already to build on this vision by putting prosperity is shared by all. super-rich. Rather, it should be together more proposals for the next For more details of the event and about our people and whether General Election. how to sign up, go to: http://www. the economy treats them with As part of that conversation, I have labour.org.uk/blog/entry/the-new- the respect, dignity and fairness asked a number of experts from the economics they deserve. A good economy world of economics and beyond John McDonnell is the Shadow guarantees fair pay and security at to join me in a series of one-day Chancellor and MP for Hayes and work for everyone, tackles poverty economic conferences to lay out Harlington in London and inequality, ensures public the policies services are properly resourced, Britain needs redistributes wealth, and mitigates to ensure that against fast paced changes such as no one and no our growing concerns over climate community is change. left behind. presents The current model is not working This will ON THE 80th ANNIVERSARY OF HIS DEATH for far too many people. Nineteen include a million hard working people are discussion of ‘THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF close to or already at the poverty how a Labour ANTONIO GRAMSCI line, which is an indictment of our Government current economic model. At the can make a other end of the wealth spectrum real difference the super-rich and the top 1% have to Scotland. seen their wealth exponentially That is why in increase to eye watering, record Glasgow on breaking levels since the 2008 crash. the 11 March, Meanwhile, the rest of us have seen [1891-1937]’ I am delighted th wages stagnate and living standards Saturday 29 April - 10am-2pm to welcome The Grassmarket Centre, 86 Candlemaker Row, Edinburgh reduce. Mark Carney, Governor of an array of the Bank of England, has described speakers that With EMANUELA USELLI the last 10 years as the ‘lost decade’ we have lined from THE GRAMSCI MUSEUM, SARDINIA for living standards. up. From Author RAY BURNETT The manifestations of this economic Ann Pettifor and Sociologist EURIG SCANDRETT polarisation for the many are stark: to Andy For tickets visit www.edinburghpeoplesfestival.org increasing homelessness; attacks Cumbers, to Event sponsored by the city’s trade union movement and The Barry Amiel & Norman Melburn Trust on our welfare system; diminishing Alyson Pollock 25 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 Holyrood or Hollywood? Patrick Phillips recounts his surreal visit to our elected national chamber yself and my mother entered Beside me, a photograph exhibition by Politics is not in the space we are sitting. the new parliament building Harry Benson called ‘Seeing America’. We are projected out and separated. Mthrough a revolving door. The photos reveal everything about Men, women and teenagers arch their Before leaving our concrete seat the horror of American tyranny. Yet we bodies over the rails, shockingly, I opposite the Queen’s Gallery, we took are inside a building that is almost like realised, being treated as animals. And one last glance at the immense broad a bunker - a bomb proof one – and a so we behave like one. Monkey, not the and thick rock that reached for the building that is difficult to get in and man, was obedient and sat back in his sky called Arthur’s Seat. Adjacent the out of. I ask a security guard where the seat. Everywhere there are now security parliament are a few triangular and debating chamber is. Everywhere are guards, Press with their ridiculously long oddly shaped pools. They call them slabs of concrete. Was our environment cameras lenses, taking a hundred shots. ‘ponds’ but there is no life in them, seriously considered? An awful lot of hysteria for just a thirty minute rehearsal! no greenery, and not a frog in sight. Finally, we entered the chamber. It Architect, Enric Miralles, wrote that wasn’t what I expected, being a lot Honestly, the whole experience and ‘the building should originate from the smaller. On TV, the chamber appeared the space itself was - and still - is in sloping base of Arthur’s Seat and arrive larger with more space in-between my memory a surreal one. When we into the city almost out of the rock.’ the politicians. Our perspective, when consider the importance of politics, However, reflecting back and looking seated of secular props (chairs, speakers such an element of surrealism is not across glittering pools up towards the and tables) became miniature. There is a essential to life or humanity. We must immeasurable beauty of that mountain long distance between you and politics. think harder about the principle of not just politics but parliament itself it was apparent that somehow Miralles There are lights everywhere and – we must approach democracy with intention had not worked. Surely, if cameras, being equipped rather than serious intelligence and more attention the intention of Miralles’ design was prepared for the modern world. Like to human essence than architectural modern ‘out of the rock’, then why a movie-set maybe. It was finally drawings. was the mountain more modern and time to watch. The Presiding Officer monumental than the £414m crusade commenced with FMQs; a hammer Today, we are forced to accept the beside me? was hit and immediately politicians extreme distance between humanity There is, I must agree, a certain element stood up and sat down in their seats. It and politics. The appearance of progress of calmness on a hot day in the design was a case of ‘Lights. Camera. Action!’ has become more important than the of his external landscape. But this is I noticed immediately that you can’t actual progress. Democracy which is a Scotland, not Spain. There is no serious really see the MSPs’ facial or body power in itself has been removed from connection between the natural expressions. The politics of politics, it us, owned instead by capitalists shelved and packaged through branded parties. landscape and the so-called modern appears, is being played down. Politics Words ‘my party’ must be excluded one parliament building. Wildflowers instead is now action-packed. Nothing from the day if we are to climb any mountain. I of spreading across the earth look ‘visitors’ perspective felt live or real. turned to the film director - sorry the suffocated waving about unnaturally. A question is asked, the First Minister security guard - and asked for the way Everything is out of place. Tourists are stands up abruptly, shouting at the out. everywhere but nowhere. opposition, whilst their party leader quickly leans back on her chair, holding Patrick Phillips is a revolutionary writer, At the revolving doors, we are not up a look of terror. It is a pathetic and lyricist, humanist and artist based in greeted but welcomed with security. sad sight. Was I watching a rehearsal? Perthshire. Bags, belts and coats all must go If I was directing, I would be shouting: into a single tray. We pass security. ‘Cut, cut Disturbingly, I felt as though we were cut!’ taken hostage. Think about it: like prisoners before we entered. We were now at the centre of not the universe but the building itself. Your eyes don’t know where to look. Glass, metal and wood is criss-crossing you everywhere. You immediately yearn to find a different space than the one you’re stepping into. We felt insecure and caved in. Are we in the rock that has rolled away from Arthur’s seat? Or, are we in the mountain itself? I don’t know. I felt less of the desire to explore rather escape. At reception there is a long line of ushers. Popcorn, anyone? 26 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 Remembering what the NHS is for Graham Watt explains why all is not well for general practice in the NHS hen our parents and population, increased patient Most professional people see their grandparents survived expectations and transfer of work GP occasionally, usually for a single WWW2, they were from secondary care. Many GPs condition. Most are oblivious to determined not to go back to the have gone part-time, recuperating the real work and value of general unfairness of pre-war society. from 11-12 hour days. Older GPs practice within the NHS, which is to Influenced also by their recent are retiring early. Training posts lie provide unconditional, personalised experience of social solidarity, they vacant. Two thirds of the younger continuity of care for patients with committed to a national health GP workforce is female, but the complex multi-morbidity, whatever service based on the generous average age of female GPs leaving combination of conditions they principle that illness is neither a the profession is in their mid-40s. have. About a sixth of patients crime for which people should GP recruitment and retention account for about a half of the work be punished, nor an indulgence have had to become government of general practice. The 10% of for which they should pay but a priorities. For the next decade, the Scottish patients with four or more misfortune, the cost of which should GP landscape will be pitted with conditions account for a third of all be paid for by the community. sink holes, as practices cannot fill emergency hospital admissions and Aneurin Bevan’s book In Place of vacancies and implode. a half of potentially preventable Fear captured the initial purpose of hospital admissions. The consequences are already the NHS precisely. apparent. Patient care becomes Such patients may need specialist The NHS still serves us well. In less coordinated and complications care on occasion, but they mostly an independent review of eleven occur earlier. Patients ‘spill over’ need a continuing relationship with rich countries in 2012 by the into unscheduled care, including a clinical generalist who can work Commonwealth Foundation in out of hours, A&E and emergency through their problems, building New York (nothing to do with the admissions, often for problems knowledge and confidence in living British Commonwealth), the NHS which could be dealt with in primary with their conditions and making ranked first on almost every quality care but also for more serious best use of services. The ‘worried indicator, with the US coming last. problems which could have been well’ present their own demands Yet the NHS spent the second least prevented or delayed. The solution and expectations but what the on health care per head, while the to this problem is not more A&E or ‘unworried unwell’ need, at least US spent most, by a country mile. hospital investment. to begin with, is a worried doctor, We could spend more on the NHS staying with the patient, steering A parallel trend has been a decade without being exorbitant or wasteful the course, facilitating access and of preferential NHS investment in in international terms. anticipating hazards. By definition, specialist services, in both hospital specialist services cannot do this and The gatekeeping role of general and community care, with the are an expensive way of dealing with practice has been the main community health services budget only part of the problem. Nurses, explanation of the efficiency of the (for mental health, alcohol misuse, pharmacists and link workers can NHS, by keeping most care in the addiction services etc) increasing help but are not an alternative to the community. What keeps patients by 42% and the hospital consultant generalist clinical role. in the community is satisfaction establishment by 60%. Over-investment in specialist with the care they receive, and the Specialist services have strict services, with their associated avoidance of complications from referral criteria, waiting lists to management and backroom staffs, the conditions they have. The NHS control demand and evidence-based has robbed front line services of neglects this function at its peril, but protocols and targets to deliver, resource and threatened to capsize that is what it has done. Politicians, followed by discharge to general the NHS in the process (a la a NHS managers and civil servants, practice when they are done. They ‘machine that does the work of two while claiming that ‘the NHS is safe work to high standards, but leave a people, but needs three people with us’, have nevertheless presided lot for general practice to do, helping to work it’). And, it has also made over some calamitous trends. patients who do not fit the criteria, life difficult for patients with multi- The general practice share of the who are not good at accessing morbidity, especially patients in NHS budget has fallen by a sixth in services, who have other conditions very deprived areas where multi- the ten years from 2006. During the at the same time (multi-morbidity) morbidity, typically combining same period, workload increased or who are not made better by physical, psychological and social substantially due to the ageing specialist treatment. problems, begins 10-15 years earlier. 27 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 People assume that because the of improving not only individual emergency care and access to NHS deals with emergencies in an patient health but also, via mass specialists, while striving to give equitable way, based on need and delivery, the health of the public. more children a better start in life no other consideration, the same The corollary is that if health care and everyone a dignified end, but approach applies in all areas of the is delivered inequitably, with some increasingly its task is to support service. But that is not the case in social groups benefitting more than people with multi-morbidity to live two important respects – specialist others, the NHS itself becomes a long and well in the community. treatment, which affluent groups cause of widening health inequality. General practice in its current plight are better at accessing, and general Almost every recent official needs to be rescued and supported practice. Scottish report and policy on health so that it can lift its head and lead the building programme that is Although premature mortality and inequalities has turned a blind required, based not on bricks and complex multi-morbidity both more eye to this new, important, social mortar but on relationships, building than double in prevalence across the determinant of health. strong patient narratives, on the one social spectrum, from most affluent hand, and better relationships with to most deprived, the distribution local colleagues and services, on the of GP funding per Scottish patient other. This can only be done at a is almost flat. The arrangement local level. provides everyone with access to a doctor (horizontal equity), but The health professions often call for not access to needs-based care politics to be kept out of the NHS (vertical equity). The consequences but, as George Orwell observed, for patients in very deprived areas Why don’t people see the inverse that is itself a political position. include shorter GP consultations care law as a problem requiring With no hands on the wheel, the NHS does not sail a straight course despite higher levels of complex urgent attention? First, because it towards equity, but a crooked course illness, lower expectations, poorer doesn’t produce noise, from patients reflecting the interests of the most outcomes, greater GP stress and who have learned not to expect powerful groups. increased pressure on hospitals. more (the Chief Medical Officer’s First described in 1971, the ‘inverse call for ‘Realistic Medicine’ doesn’t We need political involvement more care law’ states that ‘the availability address this issue), professional than ever, not to micro-manage of good medical care tends to vary bodies serving other interests, or the NHS with targets, but to set inversely with the need for it in the politicians supposedly representing and scrutinise the direction of population served’. It is not that affected communities. Second, travel, beginning by correcting the medical care in deprived areas is because despite much bluster imbalances which have developed bad. Quality indicators, such as and conceit to the contrary, we between backroom and frontline the recently jettisoned Quality and are a conservative society, most staff, between clinical generalists Outcomes Framework, showed little comfortable in how things are. Third, and specialists, and between care difference between practices in many people do not know or cannot received by different social groups. affluent and deprived areas. A better imagine how general practice makes Chiselled above the entrance to understanding of the problem is the a difference. the Scottish Government Health Department and every Health difference between what practices The intrinsic features of general Board HQ in Scotland should be the in deprived areas can do for their practice – patient contact, mantra: ‘If the NHS is not at its best patients and what they could do if population coverage, continuity, where it is needed most, inequalities they were better resourced. flexibility, long term relationships will widen’. Neither the inverse care law nor and trust – make general practice inequalities in health are marginal the natural hub of local health Professor Graham Watt is Emeritus issues affecting small numbers systems. Cumulative knowledge Professor of General Practice and of people at the edge of Scottish of patients is the starting point Primary Care at the University of society. They are a major feature for integrated care. No other Glasgow of contemporary Scotland, mostly part of public service has these Reference affecting, on a pro-rata basis, characteristics in such large degree the most deprived 40% of the but although essential these features Deep End Report 30: A role for population. The most affected are not sufficient. Closer links (i.e. members of the Scottish parliament constituencies all have SNP MSPs. local, familiar, quick and flexible) are in addressing inequalities in health needed to a host of other resources care in Scotland (see www.gla.ac.uk/ Compared with 1948, there is now a and services. deepend) collective of tools and resources of effective NHS interventions capable The NHS will continue to provide 28 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 Trump - populist, racist, sexist but not fascist Gerry Friedman shows the longstanding populism that Trump has picked up on omething is wrong in American of banks and railroads. They try to Together, they lament that workers politics when the candidate forget the Populists’ xenophobic do not get college degrees and of the traditionally left party hostility to Asian immigrants, or are too slow to leave depressed S locales to move to Boston or San carries the country’s richest locales the racist turn taken by prominent but loses what were her party’s Populist leaders like Tom Watson, Francisco. Together, they bask in their working-class strongholds. While and by later economic populists like deserved affluence, high incomes and carrying the richest counties in the Father Coughlin and George Wallace. prestigious employments that are their due because of their Ivy League country with an average of 58% of Trump’s success has forced some educations and cosmopolitan social the two-party vote, Hillary Clinton to rethink the nature of populism. values. lost Macomb County, Michigan, Like Trump, would-be populists like home of unionised auto workers, France’s Marine Le Pen, Hungary’s In expressing the anger felt by every county in West Virginia, home Gabor Vona, and Britain’s Nigel working Americans left-behind by of the United Mine Workers, and Farage present a nationalism of a the neoliberal economy, Trump barely carried Pittsburgh, home of united people, oppressed culturally expressed populist anger as a the United Steel Workers. Blue-collar by cosmopolitan snobs allied negative nationalism: hurting, we workers, industrial workers, men economically with venal bankers and unite against others. This is different without a college degree: voters who foreigners stealing their jobs and from the left’s populism which is a for a century have been the mainstay wages. When Trump calls Mexicans positive nationalism that says we are of leftpolitics instead voted for a ‘killers and rapists’ slanders Islam, hurting and we will work together to party pledged to destroy unions and or attacks China for undercutting fix things. whatever remains of the American American businesses, he joins a long The left is built on the idea that welfare state. tradition of populist nationalists who labour has intrinsic value, that Donald Trump won by mobilising defended working Americans by workers deserve respect, and working Americans against ‘elites’ insisting that because their values, their economic troubles are never with ‘contempt for the people including their respect for labour, only ‘their own fault’ but reflect who thanklessly follow the rules.’ were virtuous, their woes were oppressive economic conditions that ‘Contempt’ is the key word and caused by others. can be fixed through collective action. Trump returns to it repeatedly. Hillary Of course, some Trump supporters On these values, left movements Clinton, he charged ran a campaign are racists and misogynists. Others, have always been truly cosmopolitan. of ‘conspiracy and contempt’ for however, were disgusted by his Franklin Roosevelt (aka FDR) opened she represented an elite filled with language; they rejoice in their the Democratic Party to Jews and contempt for the ‘real Americans.’ daughters’ successes and are happy African Americans and opened The elitists would deny America’s to eat Pad Thai while listening to American markets to the world. He white, Christian heritage. They Afro-Pop. What attracts them to built a coalition on the principle that would blame workers for their Trump is that he speaks to their anger all Americans deserve dignity, and economic woes while ignoring the at declining income and lost jobs, that collective action, government real problems caused by the elite’s at the declining status of working and labour together, can help all policies on trade, immigration, and people. He has come to speak for Americans to flourish. His liberalism Wall Street deregulation. Fortunately, those who get up in the morning provided economic opportunity with Trump, ‘American nationalists’ and go to work each day only to be while recognizing that conditions the ‘forgotten men and women of our treated with contempt not only by can prevent some from seizing those country’ have reclaimed their country. their bosses but also by liberals who opportunities and a decent society tell them that it is their own fault must provide for those left behind. Trump attracted voters by uniting two That is still the path forward for the distinct strands in American populism: because they did not get enough education. left in American and elsewhere, one an economic grievance against the that denies populist racism while rich, and a social complaint against Indeed, self-blame is what Hillary accepting the populist idea that a immigrants and cosmopolitans who Clinton, and before her Barack Obama nation has a responsibility to help all would challenge traditional American and Bill Clinton, have offered working its people. cultural norms. Both have been Americans. Just as Democrats and Gerald Friedman teaches at the prominent throughout American Republicans together imposed neo- University of Massachusetts at protest movements. American leftists liberal economic policies, liberals Amherst in the USA write fondly of the Populists of the and conservatives agree that low 1890s who supported income taxes, wages and stagnant employment are unions, and the democratic regulation the fault of the workers themselves. 29 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 VLADIMIR McTAVISH’S Kick up the Tabloids

reetings from the other side With Theresa May there is not enough that being a professional politician is of the world! I am writing to satirise. With Donald Trump, there not as easy as it looks. this from Adelaide, where G is far too much. While May is basically Politics is a bit like stand-up comedy. I’m working for two weeks as part Margaret Thatcher without the Everybody thinks it looks easy. Trump of a six-week tour of the southern personality or charisma, Trump is such in the White House is increasingly hemisphere. I always find it easier to a walking parody of himself so he is looking like some bone-headed drunk observe UK politics when I am outside virtually impossible to exaggerate. heckler at a comedy gig who gets the country, particularly when I am on Basically, the President is incredibly up on stage and proceeds to make a the totally opposite side of the planet, difficult to satirise, given that his very total arse of himself, having previously in a time zone that is ten-and-a-half presence in the White House is like thought that he was funnier than all hours ahead of Britain … so think of some grotesque comedy sketch gone the comics at the gig. The irony of this as a message from The Future. OK, wrong. Indeed, as many of us will course is that Trump is a teetotaller. not the very far Future, but The Future be aware, Trump’s ascension to the He’s sober when he is talking all this nonetheless. White House was predicted as long utter nonsense and coming up with Australia as a country is far from as twenty years ago in an episode of these hair-brained policies. At least perfect. However, they do some things ‘The Simpsons’ that everyone thought Nigel Farage has the excuse - that he is here that could well be copied back was ridiculously far-fetched. We have pissed most of the time. home. For example, you can actually all been aware at times when events Trump’s impending visit to the UK buy ethic toilet paper in this country. happen that resemble life imitating will not, we are told, include a visit One brand gives fifty percent of their art. This is the first time in my political to Scotland. Apparently, his advisors profits towards building toilets in memory when I can remember life have just informed that a wall was the Third World. In typically earthy imitating a cartoon. built along the border a few thousand Australian style, their slogan is Wiping years ago. This means, alas, that the Away Poverty’ and the brand is called That’s the thing about Trump. He is President will not be making a visit to ‘Who Gives A Crap. I shit you not. virtually a cartoon character. Indeed, I think there are a number of cartoon his ancestral home town of Stornoway. Another initiative here that impressed characters who would eminently While good news to the islanders me was at Perth Airport where I better Presidents than Trump. Fred of Lewis, it’s bad news for all of us was catching my flight to here. A Flintstone would doubtless have a who like a good comedy new photo. polling station had been set up next much modern attitude to gays and And what better than watching his to Departures, to allow early voting women, Mr Magoo would have a ridiculous haystack of a hairdo trying in Western Australia state elections, clearer vision for the country’s future to cope with the ferry crossing from giving people no excuse not to vote and Foghorn Leghorn would have a Ullapool, which even on a calm day because ‘I was out of the country at much less aggressive foreign policy. must be one of the windiest journeys the time’. Of course, as many of us on earth. Perhaps, that is where his will be aware, voting is compulsory Trump’s wife, on the other hand, psychopathic hatred of wind stems in Australia, and failure to vote is a appears to have walked straight out of from. a Gerry Anderson puppet show from punishable offence. I am not sure Back home, it appears that Indyref2 the 1960s. She would not look at all exactly what the penalty is, but the is becoming more likely by the day, out of place in Thunderbirds. In many most severe cases of serial non-voting which is good news for me. Not only regards, watching the current First should be punished by being sent back was I a ‘yes’ voter in 2014, but it Family is almost like a re-run of kids TV to England on a boat, not to rot in a should cure my current writer’s block, from my childhood. And we all now prison cell but just to live in a small- as I can simply re-cycle all my old gags know how many unsavoury characters minded isolationist country ruled by a from three years ago! non-elected Prime Minister. were involved in kids TV back in those days. Vladimir McTavish is currently on tour 2017 is actually proving to be a in Australia and New Zealand. On his However, if one can take any positives difficult time for writing comedy. return home, he will be appearing from this car-wreck of a Presidency But then, you’d already noticed that at Yes Bar in Glasgow on Saturday it is this: I actually believe that in a about two paragraphs ago. One would 25 March at 7.15 as part of the have thought that with Brexit, and strange way, in the long term, the 2017 Glasgow International Comedy particularly Donald Trump, the time election of Donald Trump is going to Festival would be ripe for satire, but actually it restore people’s faith in politicians. If is the opposite. he’s done nothing else, he has proved 30 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 31 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017 32 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 98 March/April 2017