Despite ATUC opposition delegates vote for biennial Congress

Fred Bayer

ATUC’s Fred Bayer joined the wide ranging constitutional debate, as Congress, on a card vote, supported the General Council’s constitutional amendment with over two-thirds of the vote. This reversed last year’s decision and means that from now on Congress and Equalities Conferences will be every two years albeit with some strengthening of rights.

This is predicated on saving expense and staff time with a plan to redirect both to implementing Congress decisions and a more incisive campaigning focus.

The concerns about a democratic deficit were rejected by a majority of unions.

Opposing the amendments, Fred pointed out that the changes proposed were philosophically incoherent.

“As a trade union we oppose cuts. We should resource the STUC properly to keep delivering Annual Conference and the other campaigning events that have been described.”

X's coat on a shoogly peg

Fred Bayer

Fred was also in action in the debate about affiliates use of X, formally Twitter.

It was once again condemned by STUC Congress as a platform for misinformation, misogyny and extreme content. However, the movers, SSTA, agreed to remit the motion to enable the General Council to consider further the practicalities.

Seconding the motion, ATUC’s Fred Bayer said, “We do not use X, X uses us. Our data, our time, our content. It’s time we stop spending our time and energy creating profit for a fascist.”

Scotland must pursue foreign policy based on peace

 

Kate Ramsden

Congress condemned the complicity of our UK and Scottish government in the growing international crisis.

It called for Scotland to pursue a foreign policy based on peace, international solidarity and respect for sovereignty and set out clear calls to action on both Venezuela and the Middle East.
Supporting, ATUC’s Kate Ramsden said that at the minute international law is being ridden roughshod over, primarily by the US and Israel, leading to a real threat of world disorder.
“They seem able to do this with utter impunity,” said Kate, “Aided and abetted by the UK and Scottish Government.”
She pointed out that Prestwick Airport has been repeatedly used by US military aircraft heading to bases across the Middle East.
“Yet Prestwick Airport belongs to the Scottish government. It’s in public hands. There is no excuse for that airport being used to support an illegal war.
“No nation has the right to interfere in the sovereign affairs of another. That’s a given,” said Kate.
Link to sign petition against use of Prestwick Airport for US military support.
https://www.change.org/p/no-us-airforce-at-scottish-airports

ATUC at Congress 2026

Aberdeen Trades Union Council was represented at STUC Congress in Dundee from 20-22 April 2026 by Kate Ramsden, Fred Bayer and Amy Snell, all of whom were at the podium during the three days of Congress.

Both ATUC motions were composited. Comp G on Military Spending, which included both our motion and a motion from Glasgow Trade Union Council was the best debate of Congress as two of the big affiliates, Unite and the GMB spoke and voted against it. Fred Bayer seconded the Composite on our behalf.

Our second motion condemning the Scottish Government's Public Sector Reform Strategy was composited with a PCS motion and Amy Snell seconded it for ATUC.

Kate Ramsden spoke to both our amendments. The first, demanding that marketisation is removed from children's residential care, was included in a wide ranging Composite on public services.

The second, on dignity for train drivers, threw a focus on the additional challenges for women train drivers because of our biology, was accepted by ASLEF and Kate seconded the amended motion.

Fred also spoke against the constitutional amendment seeking to restrict Congress and Equality Conferences to once every two years, in line with ATUC's policy to oppose.

Fred then supported an SSTA motion condemning X and calling on affiliates to stop using it. The motion was then remitted.

Kate joined the debate on Comp R on the international crisis, condemning the complicity of our UK and Scottish government in the growing international crisis.

Celebrate International Workers Day at our May Day march, rally and social for Cuba

We are urging all delegates, union members, families and friends to join our May Day March and Rally on Saturday 2 May to celebrate International Workers Day.

Note new gathering point. Gather in Alford Place from 11am to march along Union Street to Union Terrace Gardens for a rally with a range of political and community speakers.

The march will be a family friendly event led by the Granite City Pipes and Drums; and branches and community activists are urged to bring along their placards, banners and flags.

100 years on from the General Strike of 1926 we gather to celebrate our achievements but also to learn lessons from the intervening years and to recommit to fight for workers' rights both here and across the world.

The Rally will be followed by a social, free to attend with raffle on the day and taking donations in aid of Cuba Vive (https://cubavive.org.uk/) Organised by ATUC and partners it will be held from 2-4pm in the Scottish Embassy on Trinity St (Opposite the train station) There will be live music from Callum Michael and the event is open  to all. Come and have a bit of fun after the serious politics.

Tommy Campbell, ATUC President said, "International Workers Day or May Day is a chance for the labour movement across the world to celebrate the core values that trade unionists stand for.

"Workers today continue to face threats on all fronts; global conflicts, ongoing structural racism and the rise of the far right, ever growing inequality and the climate crisis.

"On May Day we remember we are part of a global movement and our collective power is our greatest strength. One hundred years on from the 1926 General Strike against pay cuts, there are still the same issues of pay cuts to be opposed, coupled with other huge injustices and inequalities to be eradicated. 

"Too many people stuck on poverty wages, too many women denied equal pay, too many people in our ethnic minority communities whose lives are blighted by discrimination and disadvantage, too many unemployed and millions of workers, especially young workers, suffering the curse of zero hours contracts."

Join us on 28th April to "Remember the dead, Fight for the living"

All trade unionists, community activists, families and friends, especially those who have lost loved ones to an industrial accident or industrial disease are invited to attend the International Workers Memorial Day 2026 events below.                                        

The Aberdeen Trades Union Council International Workers' Memorial Day wreath laying service will be held on Tuesday 28 April at 1pm in the Persley Walled Garden, Mugiemoss Road, Aberdeen AB21 9WH.  

The International Workers’ Memorial Day theme is to "remember the dead, fight for the living."

Tommy Campbell, Aberdeen TUC President said, "On International Workers Memorial Day we pay our respects and remember all those who have lost their lives through a workplace accident or an industrial related disease.

"Whilst we will always remember the dead, we reiterate our fundamental right and duty to fight for the living by ensuring that all workplaces are safe and healthier to work in."

ATUC Statement on Israel’s latest airstrikes on Lebanon

Aberdeen Trades Union Council (ATUC) joins the UN, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Amnesty International in condemning the Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon, which have continued even after the Pakistan brokered ceasefire in the Middle East on 8 April.

These strikes, the heaviest since Israel began this attack on Lebanon, have killed over 300 civilians, adding to the total dead in Lebanon of at least 1,739 with almost 6,000 wounded and over 1,000,000 displaced.

Tommy Campbell, ATUC President said: “The carnage we are seeing in Lebanon at the hands of the apartheid state of Israel is horrifying, with civilians and civilian structures bearing the brunt of Israel’s assault. Coming so soon after a ceasefire agreement makes it even more shocking. Once again Israel is being allowed to act with complete impunity while ordinary civilians pay the price.”

Kate Ramsden, ATUC Secretary added: “The latest strikes on Lebanon, in what Israel military refer to as Operation “Eternal Darkness”, continue Israel’s appalling track record of carrying out unlawful attacks – first in Gaza, where its murders of civilians, including children, health workers and journalists continue, despite the ceasefire there, and now in Lebanon.

“Israel’s complete disregard for international law and callous disdain for the lives of civilians including children must be ended and Israel held to account for its flagrant and continued breaches of international humanitarian law”

ATUC calls for the UK government to immediately halt the transfer of any weapons or military support to Israel, as we have done throughout the Gaza genocide. It calls on the Scottish Government to withdraw support for any companies complicit in supporting Israel’s attacks on Lebanon and Palestine and its genocide in Gaza.

10 April 2026

ATUC lays wreath to remember lives lost in the Bond Helicopter crash

Tommy Campbell, President of Aberdeen Trades Union Council. along with Offshore Workers' and Trade Union representatives laid wreaths at the  Bond helicopter accident memorial in Johnston Gardens, Aberdeen on Wednesday 1st April 2026, where mourners gathered to mark the seventeenth anniversary of the Bond offshore helicopter fatal accident off the coast of Peterhead.

Tommy said: "Our thoughts are still with the families, work colleagues and friends who lost loved ones and are still affected by this horrific fatal helicopter accident. 

"The accident has had a catastrophic effect on the local community and is not the only fatal helicopter crash to have occurred over the recent past. 

"It should never be forgotten that the helicopter operator was supposed to replace part of the gearbox just a week before this fatal accident. They failed to carry out this necessary replacement due to a  lack of communication with the aircraft manufacturer Eurocopter.