Trade Union involvement in the early campaign against nuclear weapons

Jane McKay.

At the outset I would like to pay my tribute to all the men and women, many of whom I know, who have been part of the peace movement for their significant contribution to halt the arms race and highlight the injustice of wars and the invasion of countries that have taken place (and are still taking place) in the name of so called “freedom and democracy”.

Scottish CND developed as an organisation of people who opposed nuclear proliferation and, in this its 50 th year, we offer our sincere appreciation to Scottish CND not only as the organisation which was paramount in opposing trident and nuclear weapons, but for being the core organisation galvanising opposition to the invasion of Iraq and the British Government’s involvement in that invasion. It is a sad indictment that for more than half a century it has been necessary for an organisation such as Scottish CND to be part of our so-called civil society.

The STUC, trade unions and trade union councils have had a long association with CND and the recent STUC/CND joint Conference on Trident bears witness to this.

Readers will be interested to read an extract from the Annual Report of the Glasgow Trades Council for the year ending December l958, the founding year of CND:

“During the year the Council concerned itself with Disarmament and Nuclear War and ultimately a special meeting of the Council was held in October 1958, when Dr. A.B. Hart spoke to the resolution on Disarmament and Nuclear War carried at the 61st Annual Congress of STUC held at Aberdeen in April, 1958. He dealt at length with the technical aspects of atomic radiation and fall-out and made a lasting impression on the delegates in respect of the prospect before us.”

“It also issued statements on Nuclear Weapon tests and Missile Bases, the Middle East situation, Cyprus and Quemoy.”

Another extract from the Annual Report for the year ending December 1960 reads as follows: “It can be truly said that the highlight of all our activities in 1960 was the magnificent Public Protest Meeting staged in the St Andrew’s Halls, Glasgow on Sunday afternoon 18 th December, 1960 when we had an audience of 2,700, demanding that the decision of the Government to provide an anchorage in the Holy Loch for American nuclear submarines firing the Polaris missile be rescinded”.

2,700 people coming together from different parts of Scotland to express their opposition to nuclear proliferation was significant in 1960. Getting to Glasgow by public transport in the main, on a Sunday, was difficult, but it showed the strength of feeling among ordinary folk to the potential for nuclear war. One of the speakers at this Protest meeting was Mrs Margaret Robertson of Sandbrae, near Dunoon.

Only a week after that public meeting in St Andrew’s Halls, the first demonstration against Polaris was held onSaturday 24 th December. The march started from Dunoon and at the holy Loch a Christmas Peace Service was conducted by Kenyon Wright (now Canon Kenyon Wrightand known to many Scots for his involvement in the Scottish Constitutional Convention). Messages of support for the march were received from Scottish Miners, Glasgow Trades Council, Roderick McFarquhar Chair of Scottish CND, Canon John Collins Chair of CND, Ivor Montague World Peace Council and others.

The Scottish Youth Peace Campaign organised the demonstration and involved young people from trade unions, political parties and the churches. Active support for the march was received from two local women – again, Margaret Robertson of Sandbrae and also Margaret McGilp of Strone. Their opposition to Polaris was born out of principle and compassion, not of the ‘not in my back yard’ kind!

Scottish CND has worked closely over the years with the trade union movement and I am sure you would be able to read many accounts of joint activities in numerous trade union journals and trades council reports.

The trade union movement owes a great debt to CND for its tireless campaigning work, for all of their efforts in producing countless materials and for being the uniting force against weapons of mass destruction. Our organisations have also worked closely on a number of important issues, including defence diversification.

Trade unionists and peace campaigners, many the same people, young and not so young, spent the occasional night in the jail in defence of their opposition to nuclear weapons. I know them, some of whom have passed away, and others, like myself, who are here to tell the tale.

Support for Scottish CND has grown, and more young people today are acutely aware of the need to end weapons of mass destruction. Fifty years may have passed, but trade unions and many trade unionists will continue to work with and support Scottish CND in opposing nuclear proliferation and championing peace across the world.

From: Jane McKay.