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."

ATUC delegates join thousands marching for better in Edinburgh

Aberdeen Trades Union Council joined thousands of trade unionists and community activists on the Scotland Demands Better march and rally in Edinburgh on Saturday 25 October.

A packed bus took activists from Aberdeen to give a clear message to the Scottish and UK Governments that politicians make the changes we need for a society where every household can thrive and prosper.We demanded better jobs, better benefits and better investment for life's essentials.

The march set off from outside the Scottish Parliament, marched up the Royal Mile and through the centre of Edinburgh. It made a colourful display with banners and flags from many trade unions and trade union councils as well as a wide range of anti-poverty and community groups. Many Palestinian flags were also flown on the march, with calls to end the genocide and the occupation and for a free Palestine.

Scotland Demands Better - book your seat for Edinburgh demo on 25 October

Working people are suffering across Scotland, and are crying out for a decent income, decent pay, decent work, and a decent future for their families.  The Scottish TUC and the Poverty Alliance are demanding change, and tens of thousands will come together on Saturday October 25 in Edinburgh under the banner of "Scotland Demands Better". 

Aberdeen TUC is doing our bit to support this, and is putting on transport. We are calling on all our affiliates to publicise this vital event to all their members. We are looking for names and emails of anyone who wants a space on the free coaches (leaving 7am, returning by 6pm) - email to secretary@atuc.org.uk by 17 October.  Bring your branch banner too!

Kate Ramsden, joint secretary of ATUC spoke at the recent public meeting "Aberdeen Demands Better". The well-attended event also heard from Fiona Young, Community Development Worker, Tillydrone Community Flat and Rev. Peter Johnstone, Church of Scotland. Sai Shraddha Viswanathan, President, NUS Scotland chaired the meeting.

Kate's speech in full is posted below.

Scotland Demands Better - and so does Aberdeen

Scotland Demands Better, supported by the STUC, believes that change for the better happens when people stand together and demand it. They have called a march in Edinburgh on Saturday 25 October. 

To build for this big national event, a series of public meetings have been arranged.

The "Scotland Demands Better" Aberdeen public meeting is on 23^rd of September from 7-8.30pm at Devana Parish Church on Fonthill Road. It's a fully accessible venue and is pretty central.  As well as ATUC, on the panel will also be representation from Cfine (Fiona Rae), Shmu (speaker TBC), and the Church of Scotland (Rev. Peter Johnson).  Graphics are attached.

Please note we are planning to arrange coaches to take people from Aberdeen to that march. We would ask all delegates to pass on this information to branch activists and members and to encourage support for this national event.  Please also ask your branches to consider a donation to the cost of the bus and let ATUC know how many seats are needed on the bus. Aberdeenshire UNISON has already pledged to donate. We call on other branches to do the same.

Protesters demand an end to austerity - enough is enough

Aberdeen Trades Union Council delegates joined trade unionists, community groups and citizens to protest the cost of living crisis and cuts to public services on the back of the Tory government's austerity agenda.

They joined protests all over the country by the People's Assembly to condemn its disproportionate impact on the poorest in our communities, including our children, to protest the growth in poverty, the rise in foodbanks and the erosion of wages and conditions for all workers whilst the wealthiest in society amass more and more wealth.

Organised by Aberdeen is Scunnered and ATUC, and chaired by UNISON's Laura McDonald, speakers came from all parts of our communities in the North East, protesting cuts and injustice. 

Laura welcomed the protesters saying, "We are becoming increasingly concerned about how this cost-of-living crisis is continuing to affect people living in Aberdeen.

"We are proud to be here today along with hundreds of thousands of people right across the UK as part of the People's Assembly National Day of Action.

"We stand together to say loudly that enough is enough."

Please join our cost of living protest in Marischal Square, Aberdeen at 12.30pm on Saturday 12 Feb

 Aberdeen Trades Union Council has organised an Aberdeen protest on Saturday 12th Feb at 12.30pm  against the cost of living rises that will cripple already beleaguered working people and our most vulnerable citizens.

This is one of a large number of protests taking place around the UK against soaring hikes in the cost of gas, electricity and food. 

Graeme Farquhar, ATUC President said: "We are urging all ATUC delegates and affiliates and citizens of the North East to come together and give a clear message that these cost of living rises are totally unacceptable.

"Once again these rises will hit the poorest in our society and with below inflation pay increases, working people will find themselves less and less able to cope. Poverty will rise and families will be forced to choose between eating and heating. In the north of Scotland that is a really stark choice," slammed Graeme.

"The measures proposed by the Tory government will do nothing to mitigate the impact of these cost of living rises on ordinary people. Despite massive profits by the energy companies, calls for a windfall tax have fallen on deaf ears."

Energy regulator Ofgem has announced a dramatic rise in the energy price cap by 54% to £1,971 a year from this April in the UK - meaning that energy companies can now charge households across the UK around £2,000 a year for their gas and electricity use.

Other protests in Scotland have been organised by the People's Assembly along with DPAC and Fuel Poverty Action. ATUC is proud to stand alongside them at our Aberdeen protest and shares their condemnation of increased costs at a time when the gap between rich and poor is widening exponentially. 

Share our Facebook Event

ATUC supports International Women’s Day 2021 – “Choose to Challenge”

 
Aberdeen TUC proudly supports the struggle for peace, justice and equality by and for all women on International Women's Day and sends solidarity to all women in struggle.

The trades council is backing the local International Women’s Day events jointly arranged by Aberdeen Women’s Alliance, Aberdeen City Council and Grampian Regional Equality Council (GREC).

ATUC is one of the co-hosts of an online event organised by Aberdeen Women's Alliance and GREC on Period Poverty, Technology and Activism on International Women's Day, 8th March from 11-12 noon. Please join us.  Click here to find out more on Facebook.

Click here to find out about the other events being held locally to celebrate International Women's Day.

Donna Clark, ATUC vice president said, “Trade Unions proudly celebrate the achievements of women on International Women's Day, especially as it grew out of the campaign for better pay and improved conditions at work, in addition to the campaign for all women to have the right to vote.

“These campaigns, led by women active in the Trade Union and Labour Movement were instrumental in having International Women's Day recognised as an annual event by the United Nations." 

ATUC supports Plant a Tree for Palestine initiative

 At its December delegates meeting, ATUC gave its overwhelming support to the Plant a Tree for Palestine initiative, launched by the Aberdeen branch of Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC).

This new campaign which aims to build local solidarity with and support communities in South West Bethlehem targeted by illegal settlement expansion.SPSC member and ATUC delegate, Fiona Napier presented the campaign and ATUC agreed to donate £500 towards tree planting in Palestine.

More information can be found at the Plant a Tree page of the SPSC Aberdeen website, where you can also donate.

ATUC has a proud tradition of supporting the Palestinian cause and calling for an end to the oppression of the people of Palestine and occupation of their lands.

Fiona told the committee, “Initially this project will focus on tree planting as political resistance via the ‘Plant-a-Tree in Palestine’ initiative, raising money for trees that can then be planted by farmers and communities, contributing to sustainable economic development as well as symbolic resistance against Israeli occupation.”

If enough money can be raised by February 2021, it’s hoped the first planting can take place by March (before the planting season ends). £8 will allow one olive tree or grape vine plant to be purchased and the ground properly prepared.  You can donate here.

Please sign the petition calling on the Tory government to extend free school meals so children don't go hungry

 
Aberdeen Trades union Council is outraged that the UK Tory government has voted down a Labour proposal to extend free school meals to the school holidays.

We are urging all our delegates, associates, friends and families to sign this petition calling for an extension of free school meals into the school holidays. 

 http://chng.it/JQ89Vbxszb

The situation in Scotland is different but we want to raise our voice for children across the UK. It is a disgrace that children are starving in the sixth richest country in the world. The money is there - it is just the political will that is missing.

As the petiton states, children have a basic human right to have access to food. Denying them free school meals denies them this right. 

There are too many children going hungry. The Government's vote condemns children on free school meals to starve over the holidays. 

In the middle of a global pandemic where many families are on an even more reduced income, where many have lost their livelihoods, parents are working flat out to do everything in their power to feed their children and they are still not managing it. 

To make a child suffer for the shortcomings of our society is completely wrong. Taking away free school meals in the holidays, when these children need it the most is abhorrent.

'SYSTEM CHANGE, not just SPARE CHANGE'

When 12yr old Zak Hijazi heard that Aberdeen Trades Union Council was taking part in Challenge Poverty Week, he set about designing a graphic to support it. What he produced - as you can see below -was a powerful image and message! His reason for doing it - in his own words, ”Poverty is a crime caused by our governments”. 

Throughout this week, ATUC has been posting information that demonstrates just how right Zak is in his assessment.

On Nov 16, 2018, UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, Prof Philip Alston commented in his investigation of poverty in the UK, “Poverty is a political choice. Austerity could easily have spared the poor, if the political will had existed to do so.” 

A damning statement to be made about the (at that time) world’s fifth largest economy. Rather than move swiftly to rectify the situation, the government dismissed the report as “barely believable” and ignored the findings.

Two years on, the Covid pandemic has tragically shown the result of that callous response, as the results of years of chronic underfunding of vital public sectors have been laid bare. This is what happens when looking after people - especially the vulnerable - is seen as less important than big business and shareholder dividends.

As we plan our economic recovery, we must redesign our economy to reflect the values of justice and compassion we all share.

Poverty is indeed a political choice; it's up to us to change the narrative, and make sure the right choices get made!

ATUC delegates support #ChallengePovertyWeek

 
Aberdeen Trades Union Council, at its delegate meeting on 7th October, reaffirmed our commitment to Challenge Poverty Week. Delegates brought along posters and placards for this photo opportunity to say #TogetherWeCan end poverty.

Challenge Poverty Week runs from 5-11 October. It aims to highlight the growing problem of poverty in Scotland and showcase the solutions we can all get behind to solve it.  

With that in mind, ATUC has been sharing articles about how poverty manifests itself in our communities across Scotland and what we need to do to tackle it.

See more on our Facebook page. 

We are particularly concerned about the growing numbers of children growing up in poverty - one in six children in the North East of Scotland. 65% of those children are in a household with one or both parents in work. 

Growing up in poverty has a significant effect on our children, affecting their development, their confidence, their access to opportunities and their health.

Delegates also supported an emergency motion proposed by Gerry McCabe calling for an
Emergency Programme for Jobs, Services and Safety (see motion below)

Join the ATUC and raise your voice against poverty in the world’s sixth richest country

#ChallengePoverty This is Challenge Poverty Week. Aberdeen Trades Union Council is raising our voice against poverty in the sixth richest country in the world. The money is there – it’s just in the wrong hands.

The key messages of Challenge Poverty Week are:

 ·       Too many people in Scotland are living with the constant pressure of living in poverty.

·       As we plan our economic recovery, we must redesign our economy to reflect the values of justice and compassion we all share.

·       By boosting people’s incomes and reducing the cost of living we can solve poverty.

They have also highlighted the importance of affordable and accessible public services – especially council services - critically important to the poorest in our society to ensure opportunities for families and children.

We all want to do right by each other. And yet, we live in a society where one in five people live with the constant pressure of living in poverty. And in the North East of Scotland almost one in six of our children live below the poverty line. Across Scotland it is one in four of our children and 65% of these children live in a household where one or both parents are in work.

Even before the pandemic, poverty was already too high and rising. However, these last few months have created a storm, the likes of which we’ve never seen before. It has caused exceptional damage to people’s livelihoods, income and wellbeing - and is pulling even more families under.

Please read on to find out what you can do....

ATUC joins hundreds to raise its voice against poverty in the sixth richest country in the world

#ChallengePoverty Aberdeen Trades Union Council (ATUC) is supporting Challenge Poverty Week, from 5-11 October, which aims to highlight the growing problem of poverty in Scotland and showcase the solutions we can all get behind to solve it.  

Poverty, especially child poverty, has long been a concern to the ATUC and we have raised this issue at the Scottish Trades Union Congress, winning support for strategies to end child poverty. We remain appalled and the growing numbers of food banks in Scotland and across the UK and that food banks so essential to prevent so many of our citizens from facing hunger in the sixth richest country in the world.

Child poverty in Aberdeen sits at 18% and Aberdeenshire sits at 14% - that is almost one in six of our children in the North East of Scotland who live below the poverty line. Across Scotland it is one in four of our children and 65% of these children live in a household where one or both parents are in work.

That is why the ATUC is supporting Challenge Poverty Week; that is why poverty is a trade union issue. We encourage all our affiliated unions, associated organisations and their members to do the same.

During the week we are joining hundreds of organisations from across Scotland in taking part in Challenge Poverty Week, with faith groups, local authorities, businesses, trade unions and charities all raising our collective voice against poverty. We all want to live in a just and compassionate Scotland, but to achieve this action must be taken to loosen the grip of poverty on people’s lives.

ATUC will be writing to our MPs and MSPs calling on them to act to end poverty in the North East, across Scotland and across the UK.

You can go on the Poverty Alliance website and get the letter templates to add your voice to this call.