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35-422: In British slang, "wet" meant weak, "inept, ineffectual, effete". Thatcher coined the usage in 1979–80, with the meaning of feeble, lacking hardness, or willing to compromise with the unions . The label was especially applied to senior members of Thatcher's government who were nevertheless outside her inner circle and who expressed opposition to her strict monetarist policies, and her cuts to public spending. Within

70-696: A Labour Representation Committee which effectively formed the basis for today's Labour Party , which still has extensive links with the Trade Union Movement in Britain. As factories closed, membership declined steeply in the 1980s and 1990s, falling from 13 million in 1979 to around 7.3 million in 2000. In September 2012 union membership dropped below 6 million for the first time since the 1940s. Union membership has since begun rising gradually again, reaching 6.44 million in 2019. Much like corporations , trade unions were regarded as criminal until

105-612: A great deal of power. The principle that the common law enforced a union's own rules, and that unions were free to arrange their affairs, is reflected in the ILO Freedom of Association Convention and in Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights , subject to the requirement that regulations " necessary in a democratic society " may be imposed. Unions must have an executive body and that executive must, under

140-636: A membership of 671,630. In addition, 51 trades councils were affiliated. Membership was made up of members of the Scottish unions and Scottish members of unions covering the British Isles. The period 1977 to 1980 saw membership of the STUC peak to over one million with 80 affiliated unions and 45 trades union councils. A gradual decline of membership then occurred to a total of 634,797 in 2001 with 46 affiliated unions and 33 trades union councils. In 2013,

175-503: A number of places in each section reserved for representatives of women workers), approximately on the basis of its proportion of the total STUC membership. There are also two places on the General Council for representatives of black workers, and two places for representatives of young (under the age of 26) workers. Whilst the General Council is elected by the whole of Congress, candidates are restricted to standing for election to

210-458: A requirement that union members contributions to political funds would only be via an ‘opt-in’. Scottish Trades Union Congress Social democracy Socialism Communism Northern Ireland Scotland Wales Other The Scottish Trades Union Congress ( STUC ) is the national trade union centre in Scotland . With 40 affiliated unions as of 2020,

245-586: Is a completely independent and autonomous trade union centre for Scotland. It is not a Scottish regional organisation of the Trades Union Congress (TUC). It was established in 1897 largely as a result of a political dispute with the TUC regarding political representation for the Labour movement. A number of meetings were held by the various Scottish trades councils to discuss the situation, resulting in

280-416: Is the General Council which implements policy. The affiliates are divided into seven sections: transport, mining and distribution; steel, engineering and electrical; manufacturing; municipal, general and building; financial, scientific and technical services; civil and public services; education and cultural services; and trades union councils. Each of these sections is represented on the General Council (with

315-888: Is the Governing Body of the STUC. From the earliest days, the Congress concerned itself with a wide range of economic and social questions, lobbying British Members of Parliament, and from 1999 the Scottish Parliament and executive, on major issues. Hours and conditions of work and the battles around these issues were always a central preoccupation of the Congress, but it also concerned itself with wider issues such as international affairs, housing, education, transport, peace, racism, and social and economic issues, as well as promoting and supporting joint trades union councils (later renamed trade union councils). The struggle for independent working class political representation

350-539: The Combination Act 1825 , and were regarded as quasi-legal organisations, subjected to the restraint of trade doctrine, until the Trade Union Act 1871 . This Act abolished common-law restrictions, but took an abstentionist stance to unions' internal affairs. The Trade Disputes Act 1906 exempted trade-union funds from liability in action for damages for torts, and this freedom gave future union pickets

385-530: The Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 sections 46 to 56, be elected at least every five years, directly in a secret, equal postal vote of union members. The structure of the unions was based in contract , and the rights of members depended on being able to show some proprietary interest to be specifically enforced . This meant that the express terms of the union rule book can, like any contract, be supplemented with implied terms by

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420-509: The 1930s onwards, probably the most important concern of the Congress has been the Scottish economy. The STUC has played its part in the legend of Red Clydeside 1910-1922; the period of militancy and protest by the working people of Glasgow and elsewhere. It has played a role in many historic struggles of the Scottish people including the General Strike of 1926, the post-war reconstruction of Scottish industry, and more recent events like

455-632: The 1980s Margaret Thatcher 's Conservative governments weakened the powers of the unions by making it more difficult to strike legally. Most British unions are members of the TUC, the Trades Union Congress (founded in 1867), or where appropriate, the Scottish Trades Union Congress or the Irish Congress of Trade Unions , which are the country's principal national trade union centres . Trade unions in

490-704: The General Council), the governing body of the Congress. She was nominated for chairman but declined nomination on the grounds that to appoint a woman chairman at that time was too premature. However, she acted as the Parliamentary Secretary and was also Secretary of the Scottish Council for Women's Trade. The first female President, Bell Jobson , presided at the 1937 Congress. In 1926, the Organisation of Women Committee (later

525-618: The STUC represented over 630,000 trade unionists, the members of 37 affiliated trade unions and 20 Trades Union Councils. The focal point of the STUC is its Annual Congress held in April and attended by delegates from affiliated organisations. It is the Annual Congress which sets down the policy of the STUC and which elects the General Council (known as the Parliamentary Committee until 1923). Between Congresses, it

560-618: The STUC represents over 540,000 trade unionists. The STUC is a separate organisation from the English and Welsh Trades Union Congress (TUC), having been established in 1897 as a result of a political dispute with the TUC regarding political representation for the Labour movement . The current General Secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress is Rozanne Foyer . The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC)

595-644: The United Kingdom emerged in the early 19th century, but faced punitive laws that sharply limited their activities. They began political activity in the late 19th century and formed an alliance with the Liberal Party in the early 20th century. The grew rapidly 1900 to 1920, lost their legal disabilities, and were well established by the 1920s. Union members largely switched from Liberal to the new Labour Party . Its leader Ramsay MacDonald became prime minister in 1924 briefly, and then again in 1929. In

630-530: The United Kingdom were first decriminalised under the recommendation of a Royal commission in 1867, which agreed that the establishment of the organisations was to the advantage of both employers and employees. Legalised in 1871, the Trade Union Movement sought to reform socio-economic conditions for working men in British industries, and the trade unions ' search for this led to the creation of

665-572: The Upper Clyde Shipbuilders work-in of 1971–1972, the 1984–1985 miners' strike and the defeat of the poll tax in the early 1990s. The Congress was instrumental in bringing the motor industry to Bathgate and Linwood, Scotland, in the 1960s the STUC played a central role for many decades in the campaign which established the Scottish Parliament . By 1947 the STUC consisted of 83 affiliated trades unions with

700-542: The Women's Advisory Committee, now the Women’s Committee) was established by the Congress, specialising in issues relating particularly to women. In 1937 the Congress agreed a motion to establish youth fellowships as a way of attracting young people to join the unions, and therefore encourage union membership regardless of sex or age. It was realised that to create separate youth fellowships was restrictive, suggesting that

735-455: The anti-Thatcher wing of the Party, it served as a convivial meeting ground for wet MPs. In retaliation to being labelled as "wet", Thatcher's opponents within the party began referring to her supporters as the "dries". Policies which came to be labelled as "dry" included foremostly reducing public spending, cutting taxes, raising interest rates, tightly controlling the money supply, and reducing

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770-482: The courts as strictly necessary to reflect the reasonable expectations of the parties, for instance, by implying the Electoral Reform Service 's guidance to say what happens in a tie break situation during an election when the union rules are silent. If there are irregular occurrences in the affairs of the union, for instance if negligence or mismanagement is not alleged and a majority could vote on

805-651: The draft Trade Union (Deduction of Union Subscriptions from Wages in the Public Sector) Regulations 2017 has been delayed until 2019. Margaret Thatcher 's Conservative government, first elected in 1979, saw trade unions as an obstacle to economic growth and passed legislation of the sort the Conservatives had mostly long avoided. Membership declined steeply in the 1980s and 1990s, falling from 13 million in 1979 to around 7.3 million in 2000. In 2012, union membership dropped below 6 million for

840-641: The executive members. So in Edwards v Halliwell a decision of the executive committee of the National Union of Vehicle Builders to increase membership fees, which were set in the constitution and required a ⅔ majority vote, was able to be restrained by a claim from individual members because this touched both a personal right under the constitution and flouted a special procedure. Members' subscriptions are often paid by DOCAS (Deduction of Contributions at Source) i.e. deduction from salary. Implementation of

875-552: The first time since the 1940s. From 1980 to 1998, the proportion of employees who were union members fell from 52 per cent to 30 per cent. Union membership declined in parallel with the reduction in size of many traditional industries which had been highly unionised, such as steel, coal, printing, and the docks. In 2016, the Conservative government passed a new Trade Union Act , which proposes stricter ballot thresholds for industrial action, further restraints on picketing and

910-563: The formation of the STUC in Glasgow, Scotland, in March 1897. From the outset, the STUC was not in competition with the TUC, nor was it a political movement, but sought to ensure that "in any scheme for the government of Scotland provision should be made for the same industrial legislation being applied throughout Great Britain." Close contact was retained with the TUC with reciprocal arrangements existing for mutual assistance and co-operation when

945-682: The hands of an alliance of libertarian and Monday Club supporters. A similar factional identification exists in the Liberal Party of Australia , which is also a centre-right party like the Tories. The Australian Liberal Party also has a similar split, but in terms of social policy between right-wing social conservatives and socially progressive Liberals. Labor unions in the United Kingdom Social democracy Socialism Communism Northern Ireland Scotland Wales Other Trade unions in

980-413: The issue to forgive them, then members have no individual rights to contest executive decision making. However, if a union's leadership acts ultra vires , beyond its powers set out in the union constitution, if the alleged wrongdoers are in control, if a special supra-majority procedure is flouted, or a member's personal right is broken, the members may bring a derivative claim in court to sue or restrain

1015-484: The national Labour Party. A Scottish Council of the Labour Party was formed in 1915. Despite this involvement in the process which established the Labour Party, the STUC is not, and has never been, affiliated to any political party. The STUC has always had active women members. In 1897 a female delegate, Margaret Irwin , obtained the highest vote in the election of the first Parliamentary Committee (later renamed

1050-563: The occasion warranted. The STUC originally had a rented office at 58 Renfield Street, Glasgow, Scotland, in a building belonging to the Scottish Council for Women's Trades . Between 1900 and 1949 the STUC had offices in various locations in Glasgow city centre and the Govanhill area of Glasgow before moving to Woodlands Terrace in the west end of the city in 1949. In 1998, the offices moved to Woodlands Road. The Annual Congress

1085-699: The old and young should work separately. Therefore, in 1938, it was decided to establish the Trade Union Youth Advisory Committee (now called the Youth Committee) encouraging youth sections within the existing unions. The Committee is elected by an annual conference of young trade unionists that deals with youth related issues, and elects a delegation to the Annual Congress which submits three motions and amendments like other affiliates. It also organises day and weekend schools and other activities for young trade unionists. From

Wets and dries - Misplaced Pages Continue

1120-497: The political context, the term was used by Thatcher's supporters as both as a noun and as an adjective to characterise people or policies which Thatcher would have considered weak or "wet". Hugo Young identifies the most important "inner" wets as Jim Prior , Peter Walker , and Sir Ian Gilmour , as well as Lord Carrington and Norman St John-Stevas . The "outer" wets were more fragmented and less visible. They included Francis Pym , Michael Heseltine and Lord Hailsham . Gilmour

1155-596: The regulatory power of the state – all policies which were closely associated with Thatcher. Outside of the Parliamentary Conservative Party, the youth sections of the Party saw increasingly bitter factional battles between "wets" and "dries". The Young Conservatives wing of the party remained in the hands of a strong "wet" and One Nation ( Tory Reform Group ) faction until 1989, whilst the Federation of Conservative Students remained in

1190-527: Was one of the concerns on which the Congress was founded and in 1900, the Congress was instrumental in establishing the Scottish Workers' Parliamentary Election Committee, a forerunner of the Scottish Council of the Labour Party, which would nominate and support candidates for Parliamentary elections. The Congress was also involved with the Scottish Workers' Representation Committee which continued to function until 1909 when its duties were taken over by

1225-465: Was the most outspoken, delivering a lecture at Cambridge in February 1980 where he argued: "In the Conservative view, economic liberalism à la Professor Hayek , because of its starkness and its failure to create a sense of community, is not a safeguard of political freedom but a threat to it." In the 1980s, Nick's Diner was started. Named in honour of Nicholas Scott , at the time a rising star of

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