ScotRail and Hial: How unions deliver for their members and also the Scottish public – Brian Wilson

There have been reminders this week of why trade unions not only deliver for their members but also the public interest.

A threatened strike affecting ScotRail trains during the COP26 climate summit has been called off (Picture: John Devlin)

Few workers want to cause inconvenience but their only weapon in the face of intransigence is their labour.

The action taken by RMT members employed by ScotRail has dragged on for months with little sign of progress or political interest in resolving it. As COP26 drew nearer, minds were concentrated wonderfully.

The union eventually got a deal it could accept, including a £300 COP26 payment. I wonder how foolish the Glasgow MSPs who claimed feckless ScotRail employees were being led astray by their “London bosses” now feel?

When they next get on a train to Edinburgh, they should be reminded that, if left to them, there would have been no settlement or improved offer.

There was an equally notable success for Prospect trade union who represent air traffic controllers employed by Highlands and Islands Airport Ltd. As previously highlighted here, this dispute has lasted three years with the union resisting plans to centralise operations in Inverness, taking good jobs away from island communities.

Scottish government ministers rigidly defended Hial management despite costs escalating to £50 million while a leaked internal report for the Scottish government found the project at “high risk” of being undeliverable. This week, the whole daft scheme was kicked into touch for five years.

Thank goodness for trade unions. In each of these cases, the interests of their members also reflected the interests of the public. The same now applies to cleansing workers in Glasgow and elsewhere. Good luck to them.

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