FULL

EMPLOYMENT

RIGHTS FOR

AGENCY

WORKERS

 EDINBURGH TRADE UNION
COUNCIL

1857 -2003

A hundred and forty six years
of campaigning


The Edinburgh TUC is part of a network of about 40 local Trade Union Councils in Scotland which are affiliated to the Scottish Trades Union Congress. The STUC can be contacted at Bill Speirs, General Secretary, STUC, 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow G3 6NG. Tel: 0141 337 8100.

The STUC Women's Committee Banner


Edinburgh TUC can be contacted at 26 Albany Street, Edinburgh EH1 3QH or Tel: 0131-556-3006. Our email address is edin_tuc@msr.ccis.org.uk. For a quicker response outside working hours email desloughney@blueyonder.co.uk

Edinburgh TUC is composed of the delegates elected by our 60 affiliated trade union branches. It meets once a month on the second Tuesday of each month.

Edinburgh TUC represents local trade unions by campaigning on local issues that affect local trade unionists and their families.

Edinburgh TUC also acts as the local agents of the STUC in implementing Congress policy.

Edinburgh TUC will take up issues with our local authority - The City of Edinburgh Council - and with our local Members of Parliament, our Member of the European Parliament and our members of the Scottish Parliament.

Supporting an affiliated trade union - the fireworkers

Edinburgh TUC banner on a march in Glasgow earlier this year in support of decent wages for the fireworkers.


Employment Rights - Scottish Employment Rights Network


In these days of rapid economic change, when employers want as much freedom as possible to hire and fire; to ' downsize' or to make 'efficiency savings'; it is vital that employees know their rights ( particularly if they are on fixed term contracts). Edinburgh TUC campaigns to make advice and assistance available - and to make people aware that getting your rights recognised is beneficial but is no substitute for collective organisation and collective bargaining.

Edinburgh TUC provides support to the Scottish Employment Rights Network ( SERN). This network involves about 50 organisations in Scotland. The Network organises training. It organises support on employment rights and Tribunal representation. Organisations and individuals can join the Network. For further details contact SERN c/o Edinburgh TUC.

Edinburgh TUC can provide advice and support on employment rights/ law issues. Edinburgh TUC has particularly developed expertise in helping employees who wish to complain about discriminationation at work.

Edinburgh TUC an provide representation to Employment Tribunals.



Scottish Parliament

Edinburgh TUC watched with interest the result of the election on May 1st. It noted the election of 4 new MSPs ( Members of the Scottish Parliament) for the Edinburgh/ Lothian area.

It seems to be the general view that there has been a shift to the left with the election of another Green MSP and an SSP MSP. It seems to be the general consensus that anti war voters expressed their dissatisfaction with Tony Blair in a way that led to the loss of the Edinburgh South seat ( Labour to Liberal Democrat ); that contributed to the loss of Edinburgh Pentlands ( Labour to Conservative).

We are hoping to convene a meeting in September that will allow a dialogue between the new MSPs and local representatives of the parties in the Parliament and local trade unionists.



Internationalism

Edinburgh TUC is very interested in Internationalist issues. We are affiliated to the Scottish Cuba Solidarity Campaign, the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Action for Southern Africa.

For many years we have studied the situation in the Middle East. We have been opposed to the Government action in the Middle East and the recent war. Here is a view of an anti war rally in Glasgow in the autumn of 2002. A delegation from Edinburgh TUC was on the march that preceded the rally. The view is from the open top bus, from which speeches were made, across George Square to the City Chambers.