38th Anniversary of the Piper Alpha accident We will not forget

Tommy Campbell joins representatives of
offshore unions to remember Piper Alpha

Aberdeen Trades Union Council President Tommy Campbell joined Unite offshore branches representatives to lay wreaths at the Piper Alpha memorial service on Monday 6 June, 38 years on from the disaster, pledging never to forget and to continue the fight to make off shore workplaces safe and healthy.

Tommy said, "On the 38th anniversary of the Piper Alpha fatal accident, Aberdeen Trades Union Council asks that we all take time to remember the 167 workers who died. 

"Our thoughts are with the families, work colleagues  and friends of the 167 workers  who were tragically killed on 6th July 1988.

"The Oil and Gas offshore based Trade Unions and offshore workers know full well  that the  Piper Alpha fatal accident could have been avoided by the strict adherence to the Health and Safety measures."

He warned that the accident happened because of the cost-driven decisions to maintain and increase profits, resulting in 167 offshore workers being killed.
 

"When costs to the employers and profit increases for the shareholders become more important than workers safety then the  Piper Alpha fatal accident shows that its offshore workers and their families who pay the ultimate price.“

Tommy promised that Aberdeen Trades Union Council will continue to support all the offshore based Trade Unions who organise, campaign and fightback to make sure the offshore oil and gas industry has a safe working environment  so that all offshore workers can return home safely to their families and friends. 

Protesters say "Enough is enough" as energy costs rise while companies make huge profits

Aberdeen Trade Union Council (ATUC) joined Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC) North East Scotland, and Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) North East Scotland at a protest outside Marischal College on 1 July under the banner “Welfare Not Warfare”.

The demonstration was held as households face yet another increase in energy bills. From 1 July the energy cap will end and average annual energy costs are set to rise by a further £221.

The protest was one of several across Scotland and the UK as protesters demanded an end to energy cost rises and that the energy companies stop their profiteering.

ATUC President, Tommy Campbell said, "Those hardest hit will be the most vulnerable members of our society, including older people, disabled people, and those living on low incomes. 

"Many are already struggling to meet the basic costs of heating their homes and powering essential appliances.

"At the same time, politicians continue to stand by while energy companies make enormous profits. Around £500 of a typical household energy bill already goes towards company profits, and that figure is likely to rise if the government continues to allow excessive profiteering in the energy market.

"It’s time to say enough is enough."

May Day celebrates workers 100 years on from General Strike

ATUC's May Day march made a colourful sight as hundreds of trade unionists and community activists, banners and flags aloft, wended their way down Union Street to celebrate International Workers Day.

Led by the excellent Granite City Pipes and Drums, marchers were watched and applauded by passers-by as they made their way to a rally at Union Terrace, where they were met by the Guarana Drummers' uplifting beats.

There speakers highlighted the challenges workers face in this day and age and called for collective action and solidarity with workers across the UK and around the world. 

Our main speaker was outgoing socialist MSP, Mercedes Villalba who reflected on the theme of the May Day celebrations - the General Strike 100 years ago and the lessons to be learned from it. 

Mercedes said, "In one of my final acts in the Scottish Parliament, I laid a motion marking the centenary of the General Strike, because too often our parliament does not represent our class and our history of struggle. 

Mercedes Villalba

"Close to two million workers up and down the UK came out in solidarity with the miners' union - transport workers, printers, dockers, labourers and many more all demanding, "not a penny off the pay, not a minute on the day!"

"In 2026, with rising prices and the rise of 'always on' and 'hustle' working culture, that demand is just as relevant now as it was then."

She led the crowd in the chant, "Not a penny off the pay, not a minute on the day!

More photos below

Report from CND Northeast Scotland/ Campaigning for Peace Stop the Nuclear Nightmare

ATUC wishes to apologise to CND/Campaigning for Peace for failing to include their article in our Annual Report. We are very fortunate to work in close partnership with CND/Campaigning for Peace and we are delighted to publish their article in full below.

Stop the nuclear nightmare

The world has rarely been more dangerous, and we have been doing our bit to combat this madness.

We have supported SPSC Aberdeen's protests, including those at Barclays Bank, the army recruitment office, and anti-imperialist protests concerning the attacks on Iran and Venezuela.

We have also provided speakers at events organised by ATUC, namely the May Day and St Andrews Day rallies.

We are also part of the local ant-fascist alliance and had a speaker at a protest of environmentalists against the Rosebank oil and gas field.

We have had two public meetings one on the Alternative Defence review and the other on Venezuela.

We have held stalls with Food not Bombs during the Summer and during the winter have held stalls at University of Aberdeen and one at Robert Gordons University.

Jonathan Russell

We have two of our local activists on the Scottish CND National Executive and attended the SCND conference ‘Stop the Nuclear Nightmare’ in Glasgow. We organised a well attended coach with the help of funding by ATUC down to a national protest at the Faslane naval base where Britain's nuclear weapons are stationed.

We are affiliated to Stop the War, UK CND, the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), Scientists for Global Responsibility, World Beyond War and the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign.

Jonathan Russell 17^th March 2026  

ATUC remembers the dead and pledges to fight for the living at moving IWMD service

Aberdeen Trades Union Council hosted a moving International Workers Memorial Day service in the beautiful setting of the Persley Walled Gardens in Aberdeen on 28 April.

It was one of several in Aberdeen, including the Action on Asbestos charity’s International Workers Memorial Day service in Johnston Gardens, where a plaque was unveiled dedicated to the memory of our late ATUC President, Graeme Farquhar.

Aberdeen City Council also held an IWMD  service in Duthie Park when the flag there was lowered to half mast. (Photos of both these events are below.)

Chaired by ATUC President, Tommy Campbell, our ATUC event began with a minute’s silence to mourn all those who have lost their lives through their work, in this country and around the world.

We pledged to continue our fight to ensure that no one else is killed, injured or made ill at their work. In this country that means fighting for better Health and Safety legislation and enforcement. Across the world it means demanding that international law is observed in areas of conflict and countries flouting that held accountable by the international community. It also means ensuring that workers rights to safe and healthy workplaces are enforced internationally.

This year's theme focussed on mental health at work and suicide prevention.

Dignity at work must recognise additional challenges for women

Kate Ramsden

Congress slammed the disgrace that in the 21st century, toilet and welfare facilities are still not readily available to train drivers and other transport and logistics workers. STUC will convene a round table discussion to strategise for improvements.

This will specifically consider the particular issues facing women, such as pregnancy, menstruation and the menopause, as mover, ASLEF accepted the ATUC amendment calling for this.

Seconding, Kate Ramsden told delegates that it isn’t acceptable for any worker to have to suppress their need for the loo or use unsuitable containers.

“But clearly women’s needs for proper and readily available toilet facilities have to take into account additional considerations based on our biology.

“Menstruation, pregnancy and menopause all add to women’s needs to have regular access to hygienic toilet facilities and exacerbate the risks for us if these are not made available.”

She called for women to be in the room when the trade unions meet to coordinate their campaign.

ATUC leads way on welfare not warfare

Fred Bayer

In what was a fairly momentous decision, Congress backed a composite motion from Glasgow and Aberdeen Trade Union Councils to oppose the UK Labour government’s plans for increased defence spending and to campaign for public services to be prioritised.

A card vote followed an excellent debate when the issues were fully aired. However delegates confirmed that war and the economic forces behind it can never be in the interests of our class.

It aligned with the TUC Congress in giving the government a clear message from the Scottish trade union movement that we oppose increases in defence spending to the detriment of our members in public services.

Seconding, ATUC’s Fred Bayer told Congress that the moral case against rearmament and the arms sector more generally is pretty well understood.

“It is a sector that exists for no purpose other than to destroy human life and the products of human labour,” slammed Fred.

The argument that defence expenditure grows the economy, creates jobs and boosts union membership is a myth, he added, pointing to research that shows every pound spent on arms generates only half as many jobs as every pound spent on education, health, and environment.

“In other words, every pound we waste on this rearmament exercise is actively costing us jobs and shrinking the economy, compared to if that money was instead invested in our public services and infrastructure.

“The IPPR has warned that unless they reverse course on this, Scotland will lose another 20,000 jobs in local government in the next 3 years.

“Rearmament is just yet another anti-worker, anti-social, element of this appalling Labour government’s hare-brained policy,” Fred warned.

Congress agreed and supported the motion on a card vote 625 to 512.