Monday 1 May 2023

Aberdeen Trades Union Council delegates at the STUC Congress


 This year's STUC Congress was held in Dundee from 17-19 April. ATUC delegates were Scott Sutherland, Morag Lawrence and Mike Martin.

ATUC submitted three motions all with an international theme. These were: "War in Ukraine", "AUKUS pact" and "FIFA World Cup". They also had an emergency motion admitted to the agenda "Campaign for a Climate Emergency Resilient Just Transition."

All three delegates spoke to ATUC motions and Morag also spoke to a NASUWT motion highlighting the disgraceful decision by Aberdeen City Council to close six libraries. Reports of their input will follow:

Morag Lawrence highlighted that in Aberdeen, campaign groups are fighting to stop and reverse library closures. 

Morag Lawrence told delegates that the recent information brought to us by the United Nations Climate Scientists warn us that the urgency to reach a true net zero is far more imminent than first thought

Scott Sutherland told Congress that ATUC's motion sought to consolidate the Qatar resolution adopted at last year's STUC Conference in Aberdeen.

Mike Martin told Congress we oppose the unilateral use of force against any sovereign state in contravention of the United Nations Charter and international law.

Mike Martin said that the AUKUS pact is being justified on the basis of upholding the ‘rules-based order’, yet the treaty undermines the rules of international law