Positive union solidarity in international work

Matthew Crighton , International Officer

As regards international issues this has been an active year for the Branch. UNISON Scotland was the main sponsor of the Edinburgh World Justice Festival in June, as a result of my proposing this at the International Committee. This gave us a good profile and we organised two meetings.

One was on Venezuela and Cuba - Learning from Good Examples, which highlighted the alternative models they offer to developing countries based on social justice and a public service model.

It was great to have John McAllion from Oxfam supporting us as well as a speaker from the Venezuela Information Centre. The original spur to having this meeting came from an earlier event which we arranged in April with a Venezuelan trade unionist, Jacobo Torres, who was attending the STUC.

The other was on Just Solutions to Global Warming, based on the branch's policies, nowadopted by UNISON Scotland. This was informed by a meeting I convened on this topic for Scottish trade union officers attended by TGWU, GMB and the Edinburgh TUC as well as member of this branch.

We have started dialogue with the Council about a joint approach to reducing carbon emissions from workplaces. The terrible situation imposed on the Palestinians by Israel continues to concern us.

We organised a lunchtime meeting near Waverley Court at which we heard a disturbing report from the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign's delegation to Palestine.

We have asked the City of Edinburgh Council to stop buying drinking water from Eden Springs, an Israeli-owned company which extracts water from the Golan Heights, a part of Syria illegally occupied by Israel.

We played our part when this was taken to Full Council by Labour councillors, writing to all councillors. Branch Chair Duncan Smith addressed the Council on our behalf. Another part of the world where events shocked us this year was Burma.

The branch and, in particular Branch Member Murray Forgie, continues to give active solidarity to the Burmese people. A motion from the branch on this was agreed by Scottish Council. National Conference backed the Branch's motion opposing the replacement of Trident Nuclear Weapons. Ours was one of a number of UNISON banners seen on the march on 3 November.

I attended the International Officers Seminar in Edinburgh in March and the Scottish International Seminar in September. At both of these we heard graphic descriptions of the terrible price paid by trade unionists for standing up for justice in Colombia and other oppressive countries - some pay with their lives.

We also heard however about the positive effects of solidarity and letter-writing on their behalf - a number owe their lives to sister unions and their members taking up their cases. We want to do more of this in the branch in the future.

I have compiled an e-mail list of members who want to support branch activities in this field and convened a number of meetings for these members. Anyone wanting to be part of this International Network should contact the International Relations Officer at the Branch Office.

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