Scottish Labour Leader, Kezia Dugdale's response to the Scottish Government's legislative programme.
"I hope that her government will also turn their attention to the Tory Government’s Trade Union bill.
None of us in this Scottish Parliament should be in any doubt.
This Tory Bill, supported by Ruth Davidson, has one intention and one intention only and that is to undermine the rights and ability of working people to organise for better wages, terms and conditions in the workplace.
The withdrawal of a person’s Labour is the most basic right that working people have and its effective use over time has resulted in better wages, better health and safety standards, pensions and as a result better public services and a better society.
This ideologically driven Bill is an attack on these hard won rights. It must be resisted and it must be stopped.
As such I want, on behalf of my party, to make it clear to the Scottish Government. They will have our full support to do everything we can together to stop this bill.
Over the summer I heard Rosanna Cunningham say it’s the 'prerogative' of Scottish Ministers to decide on issues like check off and facility time. She’s right.
The Tories arguments against check off and facility time are rooted in logistics, practicalities and costs – they are issues of public administration not industrial relations and are therefore clearly devolved.
So the Government will have our full support in saying No to the Trade Union Bill.
Likewise the Government would have our support for demanding a legislative consent motion. That way the Tories would need approval from this Parliament to act. Approval that they’ll not get from these benches.
We don't want to just support her government's rhetoric on the TU Bill, we want to support some real action."
"I hope that her government will also turn their attention to the Tory Government’s Trade Union bill.
None of us in this Scottish Parliament should be in any doubt.
This Tory Bill, supported by Ruth Davidson, has one intention and one intention only and that is to undermine the rights and ability of working people to organise for better wages, terms and conditions in the workplace.
The withdrawal of a person’s Labour is the most basic right that working people have and its effective use over time has resulted in better wages, better health and safety standards, pensions and as a result better public services and a better society.
This ideologically driven Bill is an attack on these hard won rights. It must be resisted and it must be stopped.
As such I want, on behalf of my party, to make it clear to the Scottish Government. They will have our full support to do everything we can together to stop this bill.
Over the summer I heard Rosanna Cunningham say it’s the 'prerogative' of Scottish Ministers to decide on issues like check off and facility time. She’s right.
The Tories arguments against check off and facility time are rooted in logistics, practicalities and costs – they are issues of public administration not industrial relations and are therefore clearly devolved.
So the Government will have our full support in saying No to the Trade Union Bill.
Likewise the Government would have our support for demanding a legislative consent motion. That way the Tories would need approval from this Parliament to act. Approval that they’ll not get from these benches.
We don't want to just support her government's rhetoric on the TU Bill, we want to support some real action."