Unison And Attacks On The Scottish National Party

EDM number 111 in 1994-95, proposed by Alex Salmond on 23/11/1994.

That this House notes with alarm reports in the Scotland on Sunday newspaper of 20th November 1994 of the minutes of the Scottish political committee on the trade union Unison which refer to the need to make it 'a priority to increase attacks on the SNP' and encourage 'improved surveillance on the operation of Nationalist councillors'; is aghast that a clique of politically motivated individuals should seek to hijack Unison in order to further their own political ends; recalls that the Labour party was intended to be a tool of the trades union movement whereas in this case it is the trades union movement which is being made a tool of the Labour party; recalls that Unison was formed out of the amalgamation of three unions, including NALGO with its proud tradition of being independent and non-affiliated to the Labour party; is concerned at these blatant attempts to draw politically neutral local government officials into political activities on behalf of the Labour party, declares its total abhorrence of such activities which mark a dangerous precedent; regrets the damage done to Unison's reputation; urges Unison to concentrate its efforts into representing its members interests and to defend them against Government attacks on public services and jobs; and calls on the offending minutes to be withdrawn and for Unison to apologise for the offence caused to its members by these actions.

This motion has been signed by a total of 1 MPs.