Tomorrow (Monday 20th April), Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) General Secretary Grahame Smith will launch the STUC’s Agenda for Rebuilding Collective Prosperity. STUC will be writing to a range of Scotland’s civic leaders, community and campaigning organisations asking them to support the initiative, comment on the policy papers which support the statement and engage in wider policy discussion over coming months.
Grahame Smith said:
“The current crisis proves that there is an urgent need to create a new economic architecture in Scotland and the UK that reconnects a strong, flexible economy to the living standards of all, not just to residents of the penthouse.
“Through sharing policy and holding events and briefings, we aim to engage with wider civic Scotland and its communities in the formation of a new vision for collective prosperity in Scotland and across the UK.
“The next test of whether the response to the recession is on track will be in Wednesday’s budget and in the Scottish Government’s policy response to that budget. The STUC’s Budget Submission calls for a fiscal stimulus of around 2% of GDP to bring the UK in line with the international average. This should focus on tax cuts for low paid workers, benefit increases, public works programmes, short-time working incentives and enhanced support for the unemployed. These measures will provide direct support for those hit hardest by recession, boost demand and help prepare the economy for the challenges of the future. Cuts in funding for vital public services would be a disaster which Scotland’s communities will feel for many years to come.”
Notes
The Agenda for Collective Responsibility will be launched following the economy debate on Monday. The debate will discuss two key motions “Rebalancing the Scottish Economy” and “Response to the Recession” and include international speakers from the European and Chinese trade union movement.
Three policy papers are also published alongside the Agenda for Rebuilding collective Prosperity and will be available on the STUC website from Monday 20th April at
http://www.stuc.org.uk/agenda-for-collective-prosperity-at-congress-2009
• Rebuilding collective prosperity • The funding of public services in Scotland • Improving Occupational Health in Scotland