Grahame Smith: Partnership with civic Scotland must continue

Published on Sunday 15 May 2011 21:14

What is the Scottish Trade Union Congress looking for from the new SNP government?

First and foremost, we expect the comprehensive and positive engagement with civic Scotland of the last four years to continue. It was encouraging to hear the First Minister refer to the government not possessing a "monopoly of wisdom", indicating that a genuine commitment to social partnership will again be a defining feature of the administration.

An unrelenting focus on creating and sustaining jobs is essential. Alex Salmond successfully set out a compelling vision for re-industrialising Scotland through the transition to a low-carbon economy. This vision now has to be transformed into real jobs. We also expect the government to make good the commitment to work with the STUC to grow manufacturing.

The Scottish Water Bill that evaporated so disappointingly last autumn must be revived and its contents fully reflect the vision of a publicly owned, growing and diversifying Scottish Water outlined by the First Minister last September.

Ministers have offered little sign that economic strategy will be revisited but, at the very least, there should be a review of the progress towards its targets, particularly the "golden rules" on solidarity, cohesion and sustainability.

The status quo on local taxation is not an option. The council tax freeze removes local accountability, leads to fewer and poorer-quality services and is hugely inefficient as an economic stimulus. The very least the STUC expects is a mature debate about the future of local taxation.

The government did not choose to slash public spending in the face of high unemployment, but is nonetheless left to deal with the consequences. It is correct to pursue borrowing powers that will enable it to gain real traction on economic recovery. It is wrong to continue wasting money on the Small Business Bonus Scheme since it has had no discernible impact on jobs. These decisions matter like never before.

• Grahame Smith is general secretary of the STUC.