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Leading Trade Unionists Call for Solidarity Vote |
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Solidarity have received a major boost ahead of Thursdays election as leading members of the civil service union PCS have called on their members to vote for Solidarity. 270,000 members of the union will be out on strike today May 1st as part of their ongoing battle against job cuts, privatisation and low pay.
The PCS National President for the UK, Janice Godrich said (speaking in a personal capacity):
"Solidarity has been to the forefront in giving support to the pcs in our campaign to defend jobs and public services. This election is the chance for pcs members to elect MSPs who will put our interests first. By voting Solidarity on Thursday you will be helping to give us that voice."
Solidarity Co-Convenor Rosemary Byrne welcomed the news:
"We have shown our commitment to civil and public servantson the picket lines, in the workplace and in parliament. Gordon Brown has launched an all out attack on these peoples jobs and futures, it doesn't surprise me that the unions members no longer see Labour as the answer."
Alan Brown, vice president DWP and NEC and fellow NEC member Cheryl Gedling have backed Godrich's call. Brown said "Solidarity and Tommy Sheridan have backed us every time we have taken action on the issues that concern our union. We have no hesitation in asking you to vote for a party that stands up for workers in struggle." while Gedling added, "All PCS members should vote Solidarity on May 3rd to give Scotland's workers a strong voice in the Scottish parliament." Tommy Sheridan, Rosemary Byrne and hundreds of Solidarity members will join PCS members on the picket lines today. |
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Trade Union Leaders Call for Solidarity Vote |
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Solidarity have received a major boost ahead of Thursday's election as leading members of the civil service union PCS have called on their members to vote for Solidarity. 270,000 members of the union will be out on strike today as part of their ongoing battle against job cuts, privatisation and low pay.
The PCS National President for the UK, Janice Godrich said (speaking in a personal capacity):
"Solidarity has been to the forefront in giving support to the pcs in our campaign to defend jobs and public services. This election is the chance for pcs members to elect MSPs who will put our interests first. By voting Solidarity on Thursday you will be helping to give us that voice."
Solidarity Co-Convenor Rosemary Byrne welcomed the news:
"We have shown our commitment to civil and public servantson the picket lines, in the workplace and in parliament. Gordon Brown has launched an all out attack on these peoples jobs and futures, it doesn't surprise me that the unions members no longer see Labour as the answer."
Alan Brown, vice president DWP and NEC and fellow NEC member Cheryl Gedling have backed Godrich's call. Brown said "Solidarity and Tommy Sheridan have backed us every time we have taken action on the issues that concern our union. We have no hesitation in asking you to vote for a party that stands up for workers in struggle." with Gedling adding, "All PCS members should vote Solidarity on May 3rd to give Scotland's workers a strong voice in the Scottish parliament." Tomy Sheridan, Rosemary Byrne and solidarity members will PCS members on picket lines across Scotland today. |
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Determined to drive home our election message that a vote for Solidarity is a vote to tax the rich, Solidarity activists in the Lothians will spend Monday focusing on the disparity in annual income and council tax outlay between Standard Life Chief Executive, Sandy Crombie, and an average Standard Life maintenance worker. They will leaflet workers going into work at Standard Life headquarters in Edinburgh at 8 am.
Sandy Crombie's annual salary is £2,200,000. Under existing Band H requirements his annual Council Tax bill is £2,246. Under Solidarity's income-based Scottish Service Tax proposal, Sandy Crombie's annual bill would be £433, 100, an increase of £430, 674.
In comparison, the annual salary of a Standard Life maintenance worker is £17,000. Under existing Band D requirements his annual Council Tax bill is £909.75. Under Solidarity's income-based Scottish Service Tax proposal, a Standard Life maintenance worker's annual bill would be £315, a decrease of £594.75.
Pat Smith, Solidarity Lothians list candidate, commented: "The gross disparity between the UK's top bosses and their workers is now at obscene levels. Here in Scotland people like Sandy Crombie of Standard Life and Fred Goodwin of RBS are like pigs at the trough, wallowing in outrageous salaries and bonuses, while ordinary workers are finding it harder and harder to make ends meet. The Council Tax takes money out of the pockets of the working class and puts it into the pockets of the rich. Our Scottish Service Tax proposal reverses that process, and that's the message we'll be taking to Standard Life workers on Monday."
Solidarity Co-Convenor, Tommy Sheridan, first introduced a bill to scrap the Council Tax and replace it with an income-based Scottish Service Tax back in 2006. None of the mainstream opposition parties supported it. Now those same parties, with the exception of the Conservatives, each have proposals to scrap the Council Tax in their election manifestos.
Sheridan, who will join striking Sunvic workers on the picket line in Lanarkshire on Monday morning, said: "They say that imitation is the best form of flattery. Whilst I'm glad that other parties have seen the error of their ways with regard to the hated Council Tax, I would have to describe their recent conversion to progressive taxation as opportunism rather than imitation. Unlike the rest, in Solidarity we believe in taking sides. We make no bones about it. We are unashamedly a party of the working class."
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VOTE SOLIDARITY ON MAY 3RD |
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Solidarity, Scotland's Socialist Movement will be campaigning on local issues across Scotland today with only four days until the Scottish elections. A YouGov poll today shows Solidarity on 3% nationally across Scotland which combined with the independent research commissioned by the party through System 3 would deliver a Solidarity MSP in every region.  Tommy Sheridan, the Co-Convenor of Scotland's fastest growing political party, spoke before joining Glasgow Solidarity members canvassing in the East End, he said:
"The polls are only an indication and we will be working hard in the next few days to deliver the message that Solidarity are the only credible option to represent workers and working class families. Today we will be at Celtic Park for the match between Celtic and Hearts and canassing in that area of East Glasgow. The response in Glasgow has been great so far and we are confident that Solidarity is about to make our mark in this election." Later in the day Sheridan will travel to Cumnock in Ayrshire where he will take part in a public meeting alongside South of Scotland candidate Rosemary Byrne and local candidate Jim Monaghan. The meeting is sponsored by the party's only industrial branch Coalfields Solidarity, which was formed by open cast miners last year. In Edinburgh, Solidarity members will be campaigning for the council elections with a big push behind local candidate Kevin Connor who has led the campaign to save meadowbank stadium. This week the Council announced that it had withdrawn its campaign to sell off the stdium following pressure from campaigners. Solidarity Lothians regional list candidate, Pat Smith said: "Kevin is a great candidate and would make a fantastic councillor. His work on the Save Meadowbank campaign has earned him a lot of respect and we will be campaigning hard today for him and our other council candidates." |
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In the final week of the campaign for the Scottish elections on May 3rd, Solidarity reaffirms its commitment to low paid workers, pensioners, students, asylum seekers, and all those who've given their heart and soul to ending the illegal and immoral war in Iraq, to scrapping Trident nuclear weapons, and to local campaigns against hospital closures, stock transfer and privatisation. We are a party that believes in taking sides, unashamedly a party of the working class, and proud to be the party that backed Tommy Sheridan in his defamation case against News International. The rich in Scotland, the chief executives of Scotland's richest companies, along with a government that governs on their behalf, are the enemy of all working class people. People like Sandy Crombie of Standard Life, Fred Goodwin and Larry Fish of RBS, and Brian Souter of Stagecoach are the real scroungers in our society, their obscene wealth testament to the gross inequality which has intensified under New Labour. The message from Solidarity could not be clearer or simpler. It is the working class who produce Scotland's wealth and, as such, it is the working class who should control that wealth. The rich are a burden which the poor in Scotland can no longer afford. A vote for Solidarity on May 3rd is a vote to tax the rich. |
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 When George Galloway came to Scotland earlier this week to support Solidarity he memorably referred to Tony Blair as the Dr Evil of British Politics and to Jack McConnell as 'Mini-me'. Now his quip has inspired the well known radical cartoonist Leon Kuhn to draw some images conjured by Galloway. Solidarity is pleased to present the result. |
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Sheridan - recognise our army of carers |
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Tommy Sheridan will call for a non means-tested allowance for carers today, highlighting Solidarity's radical policy for a carers allowance and free respite and other services. Speaking at the Glasgow Community Care Providers Scotland (GCCPS) meeting in Glasgow, the Solidarity Co-Convenor will draw attention to the invaluable work done by Scotland's hundreds of thousands of unsung heroes. He said: "We are operating care services in Scotland based on the fact that hundreds of thousands of people care for their loved ones for free, without financial and other support, including thousands of children. We are calling for this work to recognised and paid for. A vote for Solidarity is a vote for a non means tested allowance of £100 per week for all full time carers and free respite care for all carers." Later in the day Tommy will join his Co-Convenor Rosemary Byrne campaigning in Ayrshire. |
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Galloway Joins Sheridan on Campaign |
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George Galloway arrived in Scotland today to support Solidarity's election campaign, and has joined Tommy Sheridan in welcoming the imminent collapse of Labour's majority in Scotland. The Respect MP, fresh from a tour of Central Asia, said:
"Blair's government is one of the most corrupt, venal and criminal in British history, and certainly in my lifetime. Blair and that coterie of ex-socialists he's gathered around him have murdered the Labour Party founded by that great Scot, Keir Hardie, and when you have political midgets like Jack McConnell calling themselves socialists, you know you're living in an upside down world. I look forward to getting up to Scotland and sticking the boot in." 
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Solidarity with the Sunvic Workers |
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Solidarity with the Sunvic Women Since 21st March, 42 women shop floor workers have been out on strike at Sunvic Controls, Bellshill Road, Uddingston. Their industrial action is officially sanctioned by AMICUS and TGWU. Management have attempted to impose a variation to their work contracts that would allow for long lay-off periods when they deem it necessary and only be paid for eight days should the lay-off last for a three month period. The women now feel that their jobs are under direct threat as management have brought in temporary staff, paying them large bonuses to remain. Lynn Sheridan and Denis Reilly (Solidarity - Scotland's Socialist Movement) have made numerous visits to the picket and workers have informed them that the scab labour are not qualified to assemble intricate heating systems and controls. The training officer has been off sick for some time. There are obvious concerns for public safety involved. Two of the companies suppied by Sunvic Controls are Scottish Gas and B&Q. When Denis and Lynn made these companies aware of the safety concerns, B&Q stated that their ‘ethical policy’, insists that all factory workers involved in assembling such systems must be fully qualified. In response to B&Q's enquiries, Sunvic management have claimed their workers are fully qualified. The overwhelming evidence is to the contrary. The women have now passed on to the Lanarkshire Solidarity branch the details of other companies in the UK supplied with heating controls from Sunvic. The issue of safety is continuing to be raised both these companies and the general public. Some of these women have given long and faithful service to Sunvic and between them they have well over 1000 years service to that company. More recently the workers have learned that management, with the collusion of South Lanarkshire Council, are planning to sell off the factory premises for private housing development. A Council brochure entitled ‘Future Plans for South Lanarkshire’ clearly demonstrates this collusion. This issue of private housing development in the Bothwell & Uddingston district has been an explosive one, mainly due to the lack of an adequate road network system. The strikers telephoned a local Labour councillor who claimed he supported their strike action. When asked what he had specifically done, he replied he had tooted his horn each morning as he passed them in his car but declined to say why he or any other councillor has yet to visit the picket line. With this knowledge workers feel that attempts to alter their work contract was just a ruse by management and evidence of a clear attempt to wriggle out of honouring existing redundancy agreements. Lynn Sheridan, sister of the Solidarity Party's co-chair, is standing as No.1 on the Solidarity List for Central Region in the Scottish Parliament Election on May 3rd. Denis Reilly is standing as the Solidarity Candidate for the Bothwell & Uddingston Ward in the South Lanarkshire Council Election to be held on the same day. Solidarity greetings and contributions should be sent to: Sunvic Workers Strike Fund c/o E.Davies 97 Glasgow Rd. Wishaw ML2 7QJ. |
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Solidarity - The Party of Trades Unions |
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As the 2007 STUC opens in Glasgow, Solidarity - Scotland's Socialist Movement have reiterated their support for John McDonnell MP's Trade Union Freedom Bill. The new party, founded last year by Tommy Sheridan and Rosemary Byrne, are the only party in the Scottish Elections who are fully committed to support for the bill in it's entirety. Solidarity have emerged in a few short months as the natural home for socialist trade unionists, with leading members of leading unions joining the party and Solidarity's members at the forefront of trade union and industrial action. In the recent PCS strikes, our members were at the forefront, with four of the union's UK National Executive being Solidarity members, including National UK President Janice Godrich. In Irvine, at the Simclar plant, Rosemary Byrne took part in the 24 hour sit in while the other parties stood outside with leaflets and rhetoric. All of Solidarity's leading list candidates play an active role in their trade union, including leading FBU member Jim Malone, the top list candidate in the North East Scotland region. The FBU have offered significant funding for Solidarity candidates. The party's first industrial branch, Coalfields Solidarity, was launched last year by workers and shop stewards in Scotland's open cast mining industry. Co-Convenor Tommy Sheridan said: "New Labour have abandoned socialist values and the trade unions that are the backbone of the labour movement. Solidarity offer a new home for fighting trade unionists, a party that will fight to put workers interests ahead of business interests. We are fully behind the Trade Union Freedom Bill. The Bill seeks to restore rights lost under Thatcher, Labour have been in power for 10 years and the anti-union legislation is still in place." |
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