Educate, agitate and organise - it has never been more important

For those who would like to read it, here is my speech for the St Andrew's Day Rally in Aberdeen.It looks at the challenges which face our society and the forces for equality and social justice and supports the call to educate, agitate and organise. These are difficult times but we are beginning to see changes - people waking up to the effect on ordinary folk of this Tory government, supported by a right wing media, for the benefit of the richest.

Kate Ramsden, Branch Chair of Aberdeenshire UNISON, and NEC member, proud to be speaking here today and bringing you greetings and solidarity from UNISON.

Educate, agitate and organise. That’s the focus for today’s St Andrew’s Day marches and rallies across Scotland.

And it has never been more important. 

We live in a society where we are encouraged to be passive. Where politics has become a spectator sport and many people don’t feel connected to our elected members or our governments. Where trade union membership is in decline. Where the whole notion of society has been undermined and we are encouraged to look out for number one.

These are dangerous times.

The divide and rule tactics of this Tory government have set worker against worker, have demonised the poorest, the elderly, people with disabilities and other marginalised groups.

They have cut the NHS, public services and social security so precious to our parent’s and grandparent’s generation; they have normalised a reliance on foodbanks in the 21^st century in the 5^th richest country in the world and they have created an environment in this post Brexit era where racism and fascism doesn’t only exist, it flourishes. Where the insidious messages of the Tory grandees and the right wing media have resulted in a huge rise in race violence across the UK.

Reconnecting people with their values and their democracy

This is my speech for today's May Day March and Rally in Aberdeen. Written in the wake of yesterday's council election results it looks at the challenges facing our movement in our fight to have a better society for all, as the General Election approaches.

"We live in strange times.

We’ve had 7 years of a Tory government who have hammered ordinary folk

Poverty pay

Rises in insecure labour and zero hours contracts

Wages cap and vastly increasing inequality between the rich and the rest of us

Hideous caps on benefits and a benefits system described by Ken Loach at the STUC as “conscious cruelty” - “a campaign of systematic punishment” which leaves more and more of our children, disabled people and elderly in poverty and distress

Our young people hit particularly hard 

Cuts to the NHS and public services and a massive selling off of the NHS – our NHS (especially in England and Wales)  – to private companies running for profit not patient care.