:00:15. > :00:36.I was caught by surprise. That is what you call an own goal by a
:00:37. > :00:42.politician. Thank you very much for your introduction. It is undoubtedly
:00:43. > :00:46.a sign of the importance of the movement in Scotland that I am here
:00:47. > :00:51.today. It is a real pleasure to be here today. Let me begin by
:00:52. > :00:55.congratulating the award winners we have just celebrated. There is no
:00:56. > :00:59.doubt that the achievements have made a real difference to people's
:01:00. > :01:05.lives in workplaces across the country, but they have also helped
:01:06. > :01:10.to further the values of the trade union movement. What we have just
:01:11. > :01:14.celebrated today in handing out these awards are just a few of the
:01:15. > :01:20.many outstanding examples of the important work that is done by
:01:21. > :01:26.unions and by union Brett is right across the country. That work is one
:01:27. > :01:34.of the many things that makes trade union so vital to our economy and
:01:35. > :01:39.the kind of society that we are. Today, there are politicians, too
:01:40. > :01:46.many politicians, and voices in the media, perhaps too many, who say
:01:47. > :01:51.that politicians should shy away, the government should shy away from
:01:52. > :01:54.building strong relationships with the trade union movement, that
:01:55. > :02:01.somehow we should be embarrassed by those links. I think that is flatly
:02:02. > :02:05.wrong. It is the relationships and partnerships we have that are so
:02:06. > :02:10.essential to building the kind of country we want Scotland to be said
:02:11. > :02:12.the relationships and partnerships between government and the trade
:02:13. > :02:18.union movement is something we should be proud of in this country,
:02:19. > :02:22.never, ever embarrassed by. APPLAUSE. That is relevant to what I
:02:23. > :02:26.want to talk about today because I want to talk about some of the ways
:02:27. > :02:29.that the Scottish Government is works with the S TUC to make
:02:30. > :02:35.Scotland a fairer and more prosperous country to live in. But
:02:36. > :02:41.first I want to talk, as you would expect me to do, but the important
:02:42. > :02:46.decisions that Scotland faces in the weeks ahead because we are of course
:02:47. > :02:52.at the start of a general election campaign, a campaign called by the
:02:53. > :02:55.Prime Minister last week for one purpose and one purpose only, to
:02:56. > :03:03.strengthen the grip of the Tory party and crush dissent and
:03:04. > :03:06.opposition, and to do so before possible criminal prosecutions for
:03:07. > :03:12.alleged expenses fraud at the last general election catches up with
:03:13. > :03:17.her. Whatever else happens in this election, we should not allow the
:03:18. > :03:20.Tory party to escape the accountability for any misdemeanours
:03:21. > :03:26.that may have led to them buying the last general election. APPLAUSE. But
:03:27. > :03:32.the question that confronts us today, and because of the general
:03:33. > :03:38.election it is an urgent question, is what kind of country do we want
:03:39. > :03:42.to be? Over the next few weeks, different parties will obviously set
:03:43. > :03:48.out the competing visions for the future of the country and one of
:03:49. > :03:56.those visions, the Tory vision, should be ringing alarm bells loudly
:03:57. > :04:00.and clearly across Scotland right now because, make no mistake, and it
:04:01. > :04:05.is obvious to see the hardliners have taken over the Tory party, and
:04:06. > :04:12.now those Tory hardliners want to take over the country as well. It is
:04:13. > :04:19.no surprise that Ukip right now is losing support to the Tories because
:04:20. > :04:23.the Tories are threatening to take the UK in the direction that, a few
:04:24. > :04:31.years ago, Ukip could only have dreamt about, but it should alarm
:04:32. > :04:35.all of us, and whatever our politics, we should style up against
:04:36. > :04:39.the rightward drift of the country that the Tories are determined to
:04:40. > :04:44.affect. We know from long experience that there has always been a cost to
:04:45. > :04:48.voting Tory, but the price this election has never been higher, and
:04:49. > :04:53.it will be those that are least able it will be those that are least able
:04:54. > :04:58.to pay that price who will be the biggest burden. The Tories will
:04:59. > :05:03.impose a double hit on Scottish families and communities, they will
:05:04. > :05:07.make Scotland a poorer country and more unfair, unequal society. You do
:05:08. > :05:12.not have to just take my word for that, resolution foundation think
:05:13. > :05:17.tank issued its annual audit of living standards and said this,
:05:18. > :05:22.particularly tight squeeze poorer households will see incomes for and
:05:23. > :05:27.is set to drive the biggest rise in inequality over the Parliament since
:05:28. > :05:33.Margaret Thatcher's talent Downing Street. They go on to say the
:05:34. > :05:37.unequal impact of the squeeze is a result of government policy of tax
:05:38. > :05:41.and benefits. Much of the political debates in the UK right now is
:05:42. > :05:46.dominated by Brexit and our relationship with Europe is of huge
:05:47. > :05:50.importance to the kind of country we will be but the hardline Tory plans
:05:51. > :05:55.for post-Brexit Britain are about more than our relationship with
:05:56. > :06:01.Europe because they see many of them as a means to an end, and the end
:06:02. > :06:07.that too many Tories, too many in the current UK Government is a low
:06:08. > :06:12.tax, low-wage, low regulation UK. We already know that exit will hit
:06:13. > :06:16.wages and jobs, leaving the single market will cause damage to our
:06:17. > :06:24.exports, it would jeopardise the inward investment that creates jobs
:06:25. > :06:27.and limit our ability to attract and retain those citizens that
:06:28. > :06:32.contributes so much to our society in workforce. The Treasury has said
:06:33. > :06:36.Brexit will leave the whole of the UK permanently poorer, but there is
:06:37. > :06:44.more at stake. EU legislation currently guarantees rights, it sets
:06:45. > :06:48.baseline standards when it comes to health and safety and treatment of
:06:49. > :06:55.agency workers, provides important protection against discrimination
:06:56. > :07:04.but now the Tories are threatening to walk away entirely. I changed
:07:05. > :07:09.economic model is presumably what the former Chancellor will when he
:07:10. > :07:16.said, Brexit gives us the opportunity to finish the job that
:07:17. > :07:19.Margaret Thatcher started. That would be a catastrophe for
:07:20. > :07:26.Scotland's communities, and even with a small majority, the Tories
:07:27. > :07:38.have brought in the shameful rape clause.
:07:39. > :07:44.With the Tory government with a bigger majority, our social security
:07:45. > :07:51.system, so many depend upon, will never have been in greater danger.
:07:52. > :07:54.We see, just over the last weekend, even the triple lock pension
:07:55. > :08:01.protection is under threat. The Tories are starting the think they
:08:02. > :08:08.can do whatever they want and get away with it. Despite saying she
:08:09. > :08:12.would seek UK approach to triggering Article 50, the Prime Minister
:08:13. > :08:15.rejected the Scottish Government's plan. She announced unilaterally
:08:16. > :08:20.with no consultation that the UK would leave the single market, no
:08:21. > :08:23.matter the cost of that. As a result, Scotland faces the prospect
:08:24. > :08:28.of being taken out of the EU against our will. I know that we share the
:08:29. > :08:33.same concerns as the S TUC and want to see many of the same solutions.
:08:34. > :08:38.How many of us could honestly look at workers in the eye and say we
:08:39. > :08:44.trust Theresa May's Tories with a minimum wage, employment rights or
:08:45. > :08:49.equalities law? I know I couldn't. Far from seeing an overdue crackdown
:08:50. > :08:53.on zero hour 's contracts, for example, that we should see from the
:08:54. > :08:59.UK Government, we would be more likely to see a erosion of workers'
:09:00. > :09:03.rights in a way that is dangerous and unacceptable. When it comes to
:09:04. > :09:08.migration, of course there are challenges that must be addressed,
:09:09. > :09:13.but we cannot stand by and watch EU citizens living here in Scotland,
:09:14. > :09:18.deprived of their rights, nor can we allow the Tories to shut the door of
:09:19. > :09:22.this country to a valued workforce in a way that would risk shutting
:09:23. > :09:26.the doors with many of our businesses or driving away workers
:09:27. > :09:31.from our public services. That would be an act of economic self harm and
:09:32. > :09:35.would damage all of us. But more than that, it is wrong, and
:09:36. > :09:41.politicians need to have the courage to stand up and say so. I can tell
:09:42. > :09:47.you that the SNP and the Scottish Government supports the six key
:09:48. > :09:51.demands the S TUC is making today, and we will keep fighting to bring
:09:52. > :09:58.those powers to Scotland at the earliest opportunity. It has never
:09:59. > :10:03.been more important. For people to think clearly and ask ourselves this
:10:04. > :10:11.question, how can we best protect Scotland from the hard-line Tories?
:10:12. > :10:15.That is why the next few weeks will be so important for our future.
:10:16. > :10:20.Faced with the prospect of a Prime Minister who, in her own words,
:10:21. > :10:25.wants to strengthen her own hand to deliver the Brexit that she wants,
:10:26. > :10:31.it is more important than ever that we have strong voices in Westminster
:10:32. > :10:35.and once the terms of Brexit are clear, the people of Scotland should
:10:36. > :10:41.have a choice about our own future. In addition to protecting our
:10:42. > :10:45.relationship with Europe, the Scottish Government is also working
:10:46. > :10:49.with the trade union movement to meet the other challenges our
:10:50. > :10:55.country faces. We are still recovering from the global downturn
:10:56. > :11:01.and the implications of that we saw in the video earlier on. UK cuts to
:11:02. > :11:05.public spending have armed growth, our public services and our social
:11:06. > :11:08.security system and, as a result of that, too many people find
:11:09. > :11:13.themselves in jobs that of the two little stability or security. There
:11:14. > :11:18.are other longer term issues facing our economy. The need to raise
:11:19. > :11:21.productivity, to adapt to the requirements of a knee jerk
:11:22. > :11:25.population, to ensure everyone can earn a decent living as more jobs
:11:26. > :11:31.become automated and to manage the move to a more low carbon economy.
:11:32. > :11:36.The Scottish Government has taken steps to meet those challenges and
:11:37. > :11:39.seize the opportunities. We have supported the establishment of
:11:40. > :11:42.innovation centres, bringing together universities and businesses
:11:43. > :11:47.to make sure we remain at the forefront in areas of huge and
:11:48. > :11:54.growing economic importance, biotechnology, oil and gas and data
:11:55. > :11:58.science. We made investment in infrastructure, transport projects,
:11:59. > :12:02.the Aberdeen bypass and the Edinburgh Glasgow rail improvements
:12:03. > :12:06.to our broadband programme which is on track to deliver broadband access
:12:07. > :12:13.to 100% of homes and businesses by 2021. We have taken every
:12:14. > :12:16.opportunity to sport a vibrant green economy and that has helped us
:12:17. > :12:20.become a world leader in renewable energy. But we know that one of the
:12:21. > :12:26.most important thing is any of us can do to build a stronger economy
:12:27. > :12:31.is to tackle inequality. The evidence is clear the greater
:12:32. > :12:35.inequality has a negative impact on economic growth and that is why
:12:36. > :12:40.creating a more equal society is and always will be at the heart of our
:12:41. > :12:46.economic policy, and we know from experience and evidence and research
:12:47. > :12:51.that strong trade unions play is hugely important roles in helping to
:12:52. > :12:58.achieve that. The research is clear, that more levels of union membership
:12:59. > :13:02.reduces pay and it weakens health and safety protection, not just for
:13:03. > :13:08.union members, but for society as a whole. That is why we value trade
:13:09. > :13:14.unions and the contribution you make to our economy. It is why we were so
:13:15. > :13:18.opposed to the UK trade union act. That legislation represents a direct
:13:19. > :13:23.threat to unions, the fundamental rights of workers and the
:13:24. > :13:31.collaborative approach we seek to take here in Scotland. Let me
:13:32. > :13:32.reiterate again today, the SNP's support the immediate repeal of the
:13:33. > :13:51.trade union act. In the meantime, we have sought to
:13:52. > :13:56.limit the negative impact of the act and over the next year we will
:13:57. > :14:01.provide an additional ?250,000 to that found. It will ensure trade
:14:02. > :14:05.union reps are not needlessly diverted from their most important
:14:06. > :14:09.role, supporting members and promoting fair work practices. Where
:14:10. > :14:14.the Scottish Government has the power or the discretion as an
:14:15. > :14:20.employer, we will not invoke the provisions of the act against trade
:14:21. > :14:27.unions. We will ensure... We will ensure that Chekhov remains and is
:14:28. > :14:34.not delivered at a cost which were penalised trade unions and we will
:14:35. > :14:38.ensure as an employer the minimum notice for industrial action is
:14:39. > :14:43.required. We should be in no doubt at all. The Tories' legislation is
:14:44. > :14:51.designed deliberately to trade unions. It is designed to cast you
:14:52. > :14:56.as the enemy. You are not the enemy. You are our partners. At times you
:14:57. > :15:01.are critical partners, at times you are very critical partners, and that
:15:02. > :15:07.are vital partners. So my pledge to are vital partners. So my pledge to
:15:08. > :15:12.you is that we will always stand with you because working together we
:15:13. > :15:23.can build a better society and that is our objective. It is because of
:15:24. > :15:27.that, just mitigating the trade union act is not enough. We want to
:15:28. > :15:31.work with you to build a fairer country. For example, the government
:15:32. > :15:36.and the ST UC have agreed to work together on a project examining the
:15:37. > :15:41.impact of technological advances in the labour market because we know
:15:42. > :15:45.that will be one of the key issues affecting the workforce in coming
:15:46. > :15:50.years. It is vital that government, unions and employers work together
:15:51. > :15:53.to understand and adapt to the implications. That kind of
:15:54. > :15:59.partnership approach underpins our fair work convention. The convention
:16:00. > :16:03.brings together representatives from unions and the public, private and
:16:04. > :16:07.third sectors to help shape and drive our agenda for fair work. The
:16:08. > :16:11.living wage is a big part of that agenda. The Scottish Government was
:16:12. > :16:16.the first government anywhere in the UK to pay the fare living wage and
:16:17. > :16:18.wherever we can we use procurement to extend its use in public service
:16:19. > :16:29.contracts. More and more Scottish organisations
:16:30. > :16:33.are becoming living wage employees. When I spoke at this Congress two
:16:34. > :16:38.years ago there were hundreds of 50 companies signed up to the
:16:39. > :16:41.accreditation scheme, today more than 780 organisations are signed up
:16:42. > :16:48.and we intend to get that to a thousand by the autumn of this year.
:16:49. > :16:53.-- to 1000. We also have got 350 companies signed up to our business
:16:54. > :16:56.pledge, companies committing themselves to good employment
:16:57. > :17:01.practices. One of the values, that the pledge sheet is to encourage, is
:17:02. > :17:05.gender equality in the workplace. That is a major focus of the fair
:17:06. > :17:11.work agenda. We know that we need to close the gap between the proportion
:17:12. > :17:16.of men and the proportion of women in the workforce. Our commitment to
:17:17. > :17:19.double free childcare will help achieve that by removing what we
:17:20. > :17:25.know is one of the main barriers that prevents women returning to
:17:26. > :17:29.work. We also want to address the lack of women in senior positions,
:17:30. > :17:36.which is wily to this year we will legislate to enjoy gender balance on
:17:37. > :17:39.public sector boards. -- which is why later this year.
:17:40. > :17:43.APPLAUSE As you all know, there are
:17:44. > :17:47.employment inequalities across all the protected characteristics as
:17:48. > :17:51.well, like race and disability, I can announce today that through our
:17:52. > :17:55.new workplace quality bond we will provide an additional half ?1
:17:56. > :17:58.disparities. That money will go to disparities. That money will go to
:17:59. > :18:03.groups who can demonstrate that their efforts will help people
:18:04. > :18:07.overcome barriers to employment. That is quite a small, but
:18:08. > :18:12.potentially hugely significant way in which we can address a major
:18:13. > :18:24.economic and social issue. It is in keeping with the broader
:18:25. > :18:27.principles of the trade union movement by ensuring that everyone
:18:28. > :18:29.in society is able to flourish everybody in Scotland will benefit.
:18:30. > :18:35.Since the very outset of devolution, since the establishment of the
:18:36. > :18:39.Scottish Parliament in 1999 D has worked to make Scotland a more equal
:18:40. > :18:42.country, you have helped the country, you have helped the
:18:43. > :18:46.Scottish Parliament legislate the social progress and you have been at
:18:47. > :18:50.the vanguard of making workplaces more productive and protecting
:18:51. > :18:55.people in Scotland from the worst effects of posterity. As I said at
:18:56. > :19:00.the outset of this speech, this is a challenging time for Scotland, we
:19:01. > :19:03.just faced the prospect of a Brexit implemented by an out-of-control
:19:04. > :19:08.hardline Tory government, but through all of the challenges we
:19:09. > :19:16.have faced and all of the challenges we will face, our trade union
:19:17. > :19:19.movement remains a source of huge strength to our country, not just to
:19:20. > :19:23.the thousands and thousands of trade union members, but to the country as
:19:24. > :19:28.the hole. I want to end by blue where I started the thanking you for
:19:29. > :19:31.all you do, you make a hugely positive contribution to this
:19:32. > :19:34.country of our analyst to pledge that as long as I leave the Scottish
:19:35. > :19:38.Government we will continue to work with you to make Scotland a fairer,
:19:39. > :19:42.more prosperous and more equal nation. I wish you every success for
:19:43. > :19:43.the rest of Congress. Thank you very much, indeed.
:19:44. > :19:54.APPLAUSE