STUC General Council Statement on the International Situation Nov 01

The General Council of the STUC:

1. Reiterates its unequivocal condemnation of the attacks in New York and Washington on 11 September 2001, and its solidarity with the US trade union movement, many of whose members died in the atrocity.

2. Endorses the right of the US Government and relatives of the victims so seek justice in accordance with international law.

3. Calls for the organisers of these attacks to be brought to justice, before an international court.

4. Condemns all forms of terrorism, including any use of biological or chemical weapons, and supports international efforts to outlaw all such weapons.

5. Recognises the right of states, including the UK, to take military action to protect the security of its citizens, within the framework of international law.

6. Strongly defends the democratic right of individuals and organisations to question Government policy on the advisability and/or nature of such military action.

7. Believes that the bombing currently being undertaken by the coalition armed forces in Afghanistan may jeopardise international support for political and diplomatic solutions aimed at apprehending those responsible for the September 11 atrocities, increase sympathy for them and their outlook, and undermine the legitimacy of the use of armed forces in defence of democracy and human rights. In particular the use of cluster bombs will lead to the death and injury of even more innocent victims.

8. In the light of the above, lends its support to the call by the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson for a halt to the bombing of Afghanistan, to enable urgently needed aid to reach the Afghan people, and will work to assist Afghan democratic forces, such as the Revolutionary Association of Women of Afghanistan: these democratic forces do not include the Northern Alliance. It calls on the UK Government and the Scottish Executive to commit resources to support the aid agencies and others working to get help to the victims of conflict and poverty, in Afghanistan and elsewhere in the world.

9. Warmly welcomes the UK and US Governments' commitments to work for the establishment of a viable Palestinian state, and believes that Jerusalem should be its capital, shared with Israel: and calls for this policy to be pursued as a matter of the highest priority, unlinked to the pursuit of just action against those responsible for the atrocities on September 11. The STUC will seek to build links with the Israeli trade union movement, and will continue to develop its long-standing solidarity with the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions.

10. Commits the trade union movement in Scotland to stand alongside and defend communities and individuals facing attack by reactionaries, and in particular racists, seeking to capitalise on the September 11 attacks and their aftermath.

11. Believes that a genuine programme to combat terrorism must combine effective security and intelligence with real measures to tackle poverty and injustice, in order to promote genuine, world-wide democracy.

12. Therefore commits the trade union movement in Scotland to work alongside all those working for urgent action to secure political, social and economic democracy throughout the world, and in particular those seeking to secure workers' rights in the face of the development of global capitalism. Workers' rights as specified by the Conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), including the right to organise in free trade unions, are inseparable from genuine democracy. Throughout the world, workers' organisations are the most successful structures in combating social division. The STUC calls on the UK Government to make the guarantee of workers' rights an essential and high profile part of any programme to combat terrorism, and the General Council will make the international trade union contacts and knowledge of the STUC available to any programme to promote workers' rights and organisation.

13. Supports all those organising for full rights for women, throughout the world.

14. While recognising the need for adequate security measures to protect people and property, and the fact that the poorest and weakest in society are most vulnerable to the practitioners of violence, urges full public debate before any new restrictions on human rights are introduced in the UK.

15. Believes that a vital component of any strategy to combat global terrorist organisations must be the institution of real transparency in the international financial system, calls for urgent action to regulate globally all financial services, and an end to the use of "commercial confidentiality" as a means of evading transparency and accountability.

16. Calls on the Scottish Executive and UK Government to take urgent and appropriate action to counter the present dangers of recession, and reiterates the position taken by the STUC and TUC General Councils at their joint meeting on 21 September, that there must be no attempt by employers to use the present international situation as a pretext for implementing redundancies and reductions in the terms and conditions of employees. Any sacrifice which require to be made should be shared equitably among all stakeholders including shareholders, directors and senior management.

17. Noting that 638,000 lay-offs have been announced in the United States since September 11, expresses solidarity with the ALF-CIO major campaign of protest, following the decision of the Bush administration and the House of Representatives that all US Government economic aid related to September 11 will go to employers, with workers not receiving a penny. Similarly any assistance being provided in the UK by the UK Government and the Scottish Executive must include direct help for employees, as well as companies.