Apprentices and veterans of UCS meet at Scottish Parliament

The third press release drew attention to the member's motion placed before the Scottish Parliament by Hugh Henry MSP. This was debated on September 15 and, what was by all accounts a great debate, was watched by UCS work-in veterans and apprentices from BAE Systems.

Representatives of both groups spoke to the reception funded by Unite the union after the debate. In addition the First Minister, Alex Salmond MSP; Len McCluskey, General Secretary of Unite; and Hugh Henry MSP all spoke to a packed reception. All touched on the lessons to be learned by people today from the UCS work-in, and pointed out how appropriate it was to have both veterans of the work-in present, and apprentices who might not have that opportunity had not the work-in been successful.

12 September 2011 For Information and Release 

The forthcoming series of events planned to mark the 40^th anniversary of the UCS work-in reaches the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 15 September. 

While members’ debates are not always the best attended, in addition to the normal audience for this debate, the public gallery will be swelled by representatives of veterans of the UCS work-in and a number of current shipbuilding apprentices from the BAE Systems yards at Govan and Scotstoun. 

They are there to see Labour’s Hugh Henry MSP introduce a debate on the work-in and its historic significance. His motion (S4M-00279) -has been supported by a large range of MSPs  both from Scottish Labour and the SNP.

Hugh Henry said

“It is important at a time when we face economic threats to jobs and cuts in public funding, that we mark a key victory for working people and the right to work. It is also important to stress the link between that victory and the future of shipbuilding in Scotland and these apprentices whose jobs depend on it.”

Following the debate which will take place during Members’ business after the debate on the Scotland Bill, there will be a reception in the Garden Lobby hosted by Mr Henry which will be attended by the First Minister, Alex Salmond MSP, and Len McCluskey, General Secretary of Unite, the union, inheritor of the members of many of the unions who took part in the work-in.

Other events arranged to mark the anniversary, include an exhibition of archive material from the work-in which will open at Glasgow’s Mitchell Library next week, and a gala concert due to take place on the 1 October in Glasgow’s Mitchell Theatre. 

Guest of Honour at the concert will be Tony Benn, the former Labour Minister who set up the UCS consortium, and became a prominent supporter of the work-in. Other artistes playing include Pat Kane; Jimmie Macgregor; Dave Anderson; Arthur Johnstone; Rab Noakes; Fraser Speirs; Kevin McDermott; Simone Welsh;  There will also be a number of yet-to-be-announced special guests.

The work-in started in 1971 when the then Tory government removed funding from the UCS yards and planned to close and sell them off. This provoked the Stewards Co-ordinating Committee to declare a ‘work-in’ which attracted huge support from Scotland, the rest of the UK, and around the world.

ENDS