NEWS RELEASE Thursday 02 September 2004
Digby Jones should stop digging - Unions Work in Scotland
The STUC have reacted with anger to remarks regarding the relevance of trade unions made by CBI Boss Digby Jones at the organisation's Scottish annual get together.
STUC General Secretary Bill Speirs said:
"I am astonished at Digby Jones' remarks."
"While the STUC work with the Scottish Executive and a range of employer organisations on a day to day basis to improve Scotland's productivity, Digby has yet again parachuted in to Scotland undermining our joint work and lecturing us on the error of our ways."
"It is sad to hear Digby use the rhetoric of the 70s when in Scotland we are using constructive dialogue on how to meet the challenges of the 21st Century."
"Trade unionists, business leaders and the Government will be equally baffled by this latest rant and frankly Digby doesn't know when to stop digging."
ENDS
For further details contact:
Bill Speirs:
John Park:
Tel: 0141 337 8100 / Fax: 0141 337 8101 www.stuc.org.uk
Notes to Editors 1. The event will be attended by a range of individuals from organisations across Scotland including STUC General Secretary Bill Speirs.
- Some STUC facts on how Unions Work
The majority of Scotland's top 25 listed companies recognise a trade union and Scottish unions top the list for partnership agreements in the UK.
Support at work
· Union members say that their strongest reason for joining a union is "Support if I had a problem at work", 72% give this as a key reason for membership.
· Scottish trade unions have won over £25m for their members over the past year at court and tribunal. Many more cases have been won prior to the tribunal stage.
Pay and conditions
· Union workers receive between 7% and 10% better wages than non- members.
· Unionised workers receive, an average of 5½ days extra paid holiday entitlement per year
· Job security is higher for workers in trade unions
· Since 1997, trade union have helped to deliver 21 different new positive laws for working people
Health and Safety
· Workplaces with union safety reps are twice as safe as those where there is no employee consultation on safety.
· Every 20 minutes, an accident is prevented in a Scottish workplace through the work of union health and safety reps.
· 280,000 workplace injuries have been prevented in Scotland since Health and Safety reps were introduced 27 years ago.