Local Government Service Group Conference 14-15 June 2009

Bargaining in a multi-party climate

Arthur Donnachie

Scotland put the issue of bargaining in a multi-party political climate on the agenda as its call for UNISON to support, assist and resource multi-party campaigning and bargaining strategies was backed by Conference.

Moving the Scottish motion, Regional Delegate Arthur Donnachie told delegates that with proportional voting, Scotland is more and more having to deal with coalition councils. Support across more than one party is also needed in the Scottish Parliament with the minority SNP administration just now and the Labour/Lib Dem coalition before.

“UNISON Scotland has taken the view that we will have discussions with all the political parties apart from those on the far right. We will have no truck with the BNP”, he said.

o promote our agenda and to properly represent our members, we need to be able to get cross-party support in many areas.

Scotland’s Marion Stewart, speaking for the national Service Group Executive, backed Scotland’s motion.

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