An account by an Usdaw member, reporting from her union branch debate.
USDAW will be remembered for having a closed approach to its decision on independence. Last Thursday, a week before the referendum, I attended a debate organised by USDAW in Ikea. I think it was the only well advertised, democratic referendum debate of USDAW members, where questions and concerns were answered.
The speaker for No was Usdaw Scottish Divisional Officer Lawrence Watson, speaking on behalf of the national union. For Yes it was the IKEA convener, Richie Venton, speaking in a personal capacity.
The debate was passionate, lively, and, crucially, democratic. Everyone had their chance to speak. Many expressed anger at the way USDAW’s decision to affiliate to the Better Together campaign had been decided by union leaders without giving subs-paying members the chance to debate the issue.
Much of the debate after the two main speakers was about union democracy, the need for members to be involved and consulted by our union’s national leadership before making such big decisions.
The debate explored the assertions from both sides about pensions, Scotland’s economic strength, promises of extra powers, and the way Scotland’s wishes are influenced or undermined by Westminster.
The basis of the ‘No’ case was the email every union member in Scotland had received that morning from Usdaw general secretary John Hannett, asking us to vote No (“If you don’t know, vote No”) for “the best of both worlds, by keeping the Scottish parliament without losing the strength and security of the UK”.
Richie Venton’s response highlighted the problems with this coy phrase:
“Try telling 95% of the population about ‘strength and security’ in the UK when they’ve suffered a 12% drop in real wages since 2003”.
“Or tell that to retail workers whose jobs would be endangered by Westminster plans to slash 730,000 public sector jobs, cutting their ability to shop, undermining our job security.
“Or the children in poverty, the workers relying on foodbanks and the pensioners dying of hypothermia in energy rich Scotland every winter – while energy companies profiteer and Westminster squanders £100bn on real weapons of nuclear destruction.”
Mr Venton warned that UK Labour agrees with 90% of the Tories’ cuts, has been stony silent on scrapping anti-union laws, and started the destruction of the NHS in England which the Tories have accelerated.
He called on Usdaw members to vote Yes and then organise for real change, for the best workplace rights in Europe, the £10 minimum wage being discussed at the TUC conference this week, a childcare revolution, and creation of hundreds of thousands of new jobs in green energy, house-building and transport.
At the end we agreed to have an open vote on Yes, No and Don’t Know. The result was 87.5% for Yes, 12.5% Don’t Know and Zero for No.
Surely this is the kind of democratic debate every Usdaw branch should have had? And surely it shows Usdaw members see the sense of independence to use Scotland’s wealth to benefit our wages, public services, workplace rights and job security?
The USDAW member who wrote this account wishes to remain anonymous
Trade Unions for Yes 