Composite C (covering Motions 48 & 50 and Amended Motions 4 & 39)
Rebuilding our Public Services
“That this Congress believes Scotland’s public services are in crisis.
“1 in 9 of the Scottish population are on NHS waiting lists. As of 30th September 2024, 347,038 people were waiting more than 12 weeks for NHS treatment, while 62,595 people were waiting more than a year.
“Meanwhile more than 9,000 people are waiting for a social care assessment or care package, teacher numbers are declining, targets on class sizes are not being met, whilst overwork and violence against teachers is rife.
“Congress notes continuing cuts by Scotland’s Local Authorities to their public services through 2024 and anticipated, due to budget proposals, in 2025. Scotland’s councils face a funding gap of £585 million just to deliver existing local services – a gap estimated to increase.
“Congress notes in particular the impact of poor funding on local government exposed in the Improvement Service benchmarking report which pointed out that local government is “expected to deliver the same or better outcomes with less available labour and access to development, often creating intolerable work pressure for staff”.
“Congress notes Dundee City Council has reported a budget overspend of £5M in year 2024-5, with a projected £15M cut proposed for 2025-6. Since 2008, Dundee City Council has seen a cut of £178M from its budget.
“Congress reiterates policy adopted at our 2024 Congress in calling for Zero Cuts Budgets.
“The current situation, caused by austerity but exacerbated by covid and the cost-of-living crisis, cannot go on.
“Rebuilding our public services will require investment. The majority in Scotland favour increasing taxation to fund more spending on health, education and social security.
“Our politicians cannot go on calling for lower taxes on the one hand but more investment in public services on the other. We need them to be honest with the people we represent - we cannot have Scandinavian quality public services and American levels of taxes. Taxes will have to rise.
“Increased investment must be accompanied by reform. 40 years of outsourcing, deregulation and austerity has led to multinationals profiting from our public services while driving down standards and hiding profits. Public service reform must address this issue.
“Congress calls on the General Council to:
- commission research on the scale of outsourcing in Scotland and what can be done to insource services;
- lobby the Scottish Government to invest in public services, including through progressive taxation and wealth taxes to raise revenue;
- lobby the UK Government to invest in public services and generate Barnett consequentials for the Scottish Government, examine the feasibility and potential under existing powers, of introducing levies on industries with extraordinarily high profit margins.
- Campaign for:
- a massive reduction in the ringfencing of funding imposed on local government by Scottish Government;
- the replacement of the council tax with a capital value based property tax;
- the reforms to taxation outlined in the ‘Raising tax to deliver for Scotland’ report;
- and to protect and enhance local government autonomy;
- reiterate STUC policy that defence expenditure should not increase beyond 2.3% of GDP. The prime minister’s decision to increase to 2.5% of GDP is a further £13.4 billion that will decimate foreign aid and public services;
- condemn Scotland’s political leadership, at both national and local authority levels, for allowing this continued decimation of local services and for their abject failure to defend them;
- voice concern at the resulting loss of public faith in our political class, our political processes and institutions, arising from this abject failure;
- support sustained local activity as part of a national campaign, bringing together community organisations, trade union branches, and trades union councils when campaigning against budget cuts by Governments and Councils of all colours; and
- call for consistent and sustainable funding for Scottish Local Authorities so they can invest in their local economy, transport networks and high streets.”
Mover: STUC General Council
Seconder: UNISON Scotland
Supporter: Clydebank Trades Union Council
Dundee Trades Union Council
USDAW
East Kilbride & South Lanarkshire Trades Union Council
RSS