Evening of celebration for Aberdeen Brigaders on 28th September All welcome!

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ATUC congratulates UNISON on landmark court victory as tribunal fees scrapped

Aberdeen Trades Union Council (ATUC) has welcomed UNISON's landmark court victory against the government this morning which means that employment tribunal fees will be scrapped. 

The Supreme Court – the UK’s highest court – has unanimously ruled that the government was acting unlawfully and unconstitutionally when it introduced the fees four years ago.

From today, anyone who has been treated illegally or unfairly at work will no longer have to pay to take their employers to court – as a direct result of UNISON’s legal challenge.

 The government will also have to refund more than £27m to the thousands of people charged for taking claims to tribunals  since July 2013, when fees were introduced by then Lord Chancellor Chris Grayling.

Kevin Hutchens, joint president of Aberdeen TUC stated "This is a great victory for justice and for workers rights. Clearly the case has been won for basic human rights to be respected.

"True justice should be the right of all regardless of financial status. UNISON is to be congratulated on this crucial success for trade union rights, and never again should barriers such as fees be created".

 Read the full story here

Aberdeen Trade Union Council Delegates in action at the STUC

Report of the ATUC at STUC Dundee 2014

Monday at the STUC



Kevin Hutchens

Investment in public services and living wage are key to recovery

The STUC is calling on UK and Scottish Governments to end austerity and instead invest in public services and backed the ATUC's call to pay a Living Wage to ensure a 'better today and more prosperous tomorrow for Scotland’s people'.

Congress urged the Scottish Government to 'change its mind' and use its procurement rules to insist that contractors pay the Living Wage.

ATUC delegate, Kevin Hutchens, seconded the Composite and urged Congress to ensure that Living Wage provisions are at the heart of public procurement regimes.

Austerity 'a political choice, not an economic necessity'

Congress later pledged to continue its high profile campaign against welfare cuts and austerity and will press the UK and Scottish governments to take steps to improve employment protections, including the abolition of employment tribunal fees, and an end to poverty pay.

Kevin Hutchens spoke to the composite which included the ATUC call for the "abolition of employment tribunal fees and discussion on the potential need for full control of employment tribunals in Scotland to be fully devolved, to facilitate the abolition of fees and other progressive changes."

Wednesday at the ATUC

Support pledged for Palestinian people in the International Year of Solidarity

Michelle Brady

Congress condemned the human suffering in Palestine as a result of Israeli segregation and backed the ATUC's call to mark International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People in 2014 by calling on the Scottish Government to include the recent history of the Palestinian people in the school curriculum and to look into producing a booklet to increase awareness of Boycott, Disinvestment and sanctions amongst Scottish Trade Unions.

Michelle Brady moved the Composite and slammed the treatment of the Palestinian people by the Israeli occupation in the West Bank and the blockade of Gaza.

Police Control Centre Closures without consultation condemned

In almost the last throw of the dice on Wednesday afternoon, Congress supported the ATUC's concern at the decision by Police Scotland to close the Aberdeen and other Control Centres, without consultation and agreed that the STUC General Council will formally express its concern to Police Scotland and the Scottish Government.

Michelle Brady, herself a member of UNISON's Police Staff's Branch, told Congress that local knowledge will be lost through these closures - in Aberdeen but also across other parts of the country, with over 450 jobs affected. She called for the STUC to challenge the closures.