RMT AT STUC

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: may 2018 :: RMTnews 8 Scottish trade unionists warned last month that “strict adherence to EU competition rules” following Brexit would “endanger the future prospects of the Scottish economy”. A majority of delegates at the Scottish TUC Congress in Aviemore backed an RMT- backed motion that pointed out that EU single market and customs union membership would prohibit an interventionist economic programme involving “a state investment bank, public ownership of utilities and state aid to industry”. Moving on behalf of South Lanarkshire Trades Council, former RMT officer Phil McGarry called for “government assistance as required by the use of government money for any ailing industries, public ownership of our railways, the ferry sector and the offshore sectors. “Let’s renationalise the energy companies who are ripping us off and build social housing under local authority control,” he said. Mr McGarry said that this programme, as well as new rules on public procurement ensuring companies winning government contracts engage in collective bargaining and are not blacklisters, was “incompatible with membership of the single market and customs union.” He praised Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn for recognising that anti-union rulings of the European Court of Justice such as the Viking, Laval, Ruffert, Luxembourg and Holship judgements needed to be “binned” as part of any exit settlement. “Let’s have a progressive exit from the European Union on our terms. If we don’t, then Davis, Johnson, Gove and Fox will do some dirty trade deal. “The Tories will ensure they look after the interest of capital and the City of London to our detriment,” he said. Opposing membership of the EU single market, RMT NEC member Paul Shaw emphasised the threat of the EU’s 4th Railway Package, which demanded wholesale privatisation across the EU. RMT regional organiser Jake Molloy rose to oppose a motion demanding the ‘free movement’ of labour within the EU. Delegates also heard that the RMT AT STUC Scottish TUC backs RMT on the dangers of the EU single market and on helicopter safety