Solidarity Scotland’s Socialist Movement offers our support to those striking workers in construction and the oil refineries across the country who have taken a stand to defend the right to work, the principle of trade union rights and to prevent the undermining of collective bargaining. 

We support those demands made to protect jobs, wages and conditions. We especially support those demands that recognise that the focus of the workers anger is not that of foreign nationals but rather anti-trade union employers who seek to undermine the hard fought for gains by trade unions over the decades in those industries. 

To the employers this is not a question of the nationality of the workforce employed but of the profit they can be wrung out of hiring cheaper, preferably non-unionised labour. It is also about undermining organised labour wherever it appears.

Throughout the history of capitalism, employers have attempted to divide and rule workers by employing others on less pay and poorer conditions.

They have exploited racial and religious tensions in a bid to ensure that workers remain divided rather than united in pursuit of common aims. 

The European Union, rigged in favour of the bosses enshrines the ability of employers and even governments in the pursuit of the cheapest option in an almighty race for the bottom. Over the last few years thousands of workers have seen their pay and conditions attacked and the situation will only worsen as working people are asked to pay the price for the failure of the world economic system. 

Whilst bankers have received billions in subsidy, millions of ordinary workers face unemployment, uncertainty and poverty. Gordon Brown calls the strikes “indefensible”, but it is his government and it’s policies that cannot be defended. Despite being in power since 1997 New Labour have done nothing to enhance or protect workers rights.

The European Union laws are currently rigged in favour of the bosses. There is a move to strengthen these laws led by the European Trade Union Congress however this is being blocked by the British government. New Labour has even opposed the modest rights that would be introduced under a social protocol added to the Lisbon Treaty. 

The fact that so many workers are angry that there jobs, pay and conditions are under threat and prepared to take part in illegal action should not be surprising. All across Europe workers have demonstrated and taken part in strike action and demonstrations.  

The strikes in this country happened quickly and were in direct opposition to the anti-trade union legislation brought in by the last Tory government and disgracefully not repealed by any of the subsequent Labour administrations. Trade Union leaders who have quietly acquiesced to the pro business agenda of New Labour are now having to confront the real fury that exists among thousands of their members. 

The fact that these strikes are “wildcat” and against the law makes the support for the action by sections of the media and right wing politicians all the more hypocritical.  Many workers have held up placards proclaiming, “British Jobs for British Workers” in a dig at a ludicrous conference speech from Gordon Brown. However, this idea of British Jobs for British workers has encouraged the fascist BNP and other right wing politicians to get involved with a newfound enthusiasm for workers rights and they are trying to make this a dispute about petty nationalism. 

The BNP have no interest in real working class unity or workers rights. They wish to see workers divided along nationalist, race and religious lines in pursuit of their poisonous and odious ideas. 

Neither do those tabloid papers currently lauding the workers as standing up for Britain have any interest in exposing the real scandal behind the multi-national employers drive for maximising profit. 

When workers at Grangemouth went on strike last year to protect pension rights Solidarity, other socialists and trade unionists offered the workers our 100% support. At the same time the media, especially the tabloid press turned on those workers and portrayed them as union militants holding the country to ransom. Those strikes were not just for the protection of the current workforce but also to protect the pension rights of future employees in the industry. Likewise, the workers taking part in the current actions are fighting to defend not just their jobs and wages but the jobs and wages of future generations. 

Solidarity adds its voice to those calling for a concerted campaign in defence of jobs, pay and conditions of all workers in the face of a vicious onslaught by governments and employers. 

We call on the trade union leaders involved not to dilute their forces by setting one group of workers against another or by pandering to racists and xenophobes in the language they are encouraging on the picket lines. 

The disaster that is the world economy is not the fault of the working class nor is it the fault of foreign workers and we should not be the ones to pay for their crisis.

 As the old saying goes…unity is strength, united we stand divided we fall. 

Solidarity calls for; 

• No job losses or wage cuts to pay for the crisis.

• Protect the jobs, pay and conditions of ALL workers

• The public ownership of the energy industry

• Co-operation between trade unionists of all nationalities

• Say no to The BNP on picket lines

• Stronger UK and European Law to strengthen workers rights.

• An end to Tory anti-trade union laws

• For a socialist Europe..not a bosses Europe