SCOTTISH LEFT REVIEW ISSUE 118 JULY/AUGUST 2020 - £2.00 1 - SCOTTISHLEFTREVIEW ISSUE 118 JULY/AUGUST 2020
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Scottish Left Review
Issue 118 July/August 2020 - £2.00
'best re(a)d'
1 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 118 July/August 2020
comment
Is the left now
coming up for air?
T
he left is in one of its classic Tories’ handling of the COVID-19 crisis internal review to members of how it
reviews
dilemmas. On the one hand, than approved of it, Boris Johnson’s dealt with anti-semitism – this was the
while the Tories are in office personal ratings went into the negative, report that uncovered internal attempts
with a substantial majority, and the Tories’ lead has fallen from to undermine Corbyn’s leadership.
the sheen is certainly coming off low fifties in late April to low forties in On top of this, having sacked Rebecca
them - even if Labour has done little mid-June. The Cummings catastrophe Long-Bailey from the Shadow Cabinet
to bring this about. And yet, on the added to the crisis over PPE and was for anti-semitism is likely to be seen
other hand, the next election is some since been added to other so-called as a declaration of war on the Labour
time away – 2024 under the Fixed-term ‘mis-steps’ over testing, tracking and left, especially because there was no
Parliaments Act 2011. Added to that, tracing. Some senior Tories are even evidence of anti-semitism in what
and notwithstanding the recent Black speculating that Johnson may not be she did. So much for uniting Labour
Lives Matter demonstrations, there is the one to lead them into the 2024 as Starmer said his key task was. And,
little evidence of extra-parliamentary election. Meanwhile, Labour under Keir of course, it was not a politician but a
opposition the Tory government. So Starmer is still not perceived as being footballer, Marcus Rashford, who scored
things are getting better from the clear on what its policies are (even with the biggest goal against the Tories (even
standpoint of Thursday 12 December Starmer being a better parliamentary if this was just for free school meals over
2019 but it’s still not clear whether performer than Corbyn) even though the summer).
the Tories are experiencing anything its poll ratings have from high twenties But there are also further
more than a temporary setback, in late April to low high thirties in imponderables at the moment – are
whether Labour will be able to get mid-June. It remains to be seen we still heading for a no-deal Brexit and
its oppositional act together and whether the Labour Together group’s how long will the Tories say that having
whether the prospect of truly mass review of the party’s 2019 election the ‘national’ debt at greater (110%)
unemployment after 31 October this performance leads to a further period than the ‘national’ GDP is acceptable?
year will either subdue or incite any introspection and whether any useful A no-deal Brexit could deliver another
latent discontent outside Parliament. shock to an already enfeebled economy
clarity emerges from that introspection.
Let’s unpack this a little. Recent polling It’s interesting to note that Starmer while it’s unlikely that, as the 2024
has indicated more disapproved of the has still not released Labour’s own election approaches, the Tories would
go into that contest with the albatross of
ScottishLeftReview Issue 118 July/August 2020
Editorial comment – Is the left coming up for air? ................................................................................... 2
financial profligacy around their necks.
So, public expenditure cuts and not
Feedback - Mary MacCallum Sullivan . ..................................................................................................... 4
tax rises would be on the cards from
Money begets money:
them. Will Labour have the temerity
how the Tories helped the rich get richer during the COVID-19 crisis Prem Sikka ................................... 5 to say that it must be a case of ‘by any
Fighting for fairness in COVID-19 crisis: means necessary’ to protect livelihoods
workers and unions provide the sensible solution Roz Foyer . ................................................................. 7 and living standards (including a four
Crisis within a crisis: the failure of private sector care Stephen Smellie .................................................. 9 day week to combat unemployment)
Domestic abuse and COVID-19 Megan Gordon . .................................................................................... 10
and recount that in 1945 the national
Scottish education in the Covid pandemic: to be forewarned is to be forearmed Bill Ramsay .............. 11
debt was 200% of GDP when the great
Universal Basic Income: simple solution to a complex conundrum? William Craig ............................... 12
reforming Labour government led by
Covid-19 and the campaign against climate change and a just transition Gordon Morgan ................... 14
Clement Attlee took office?
Is Coronavirus causing a shift in attitudes towards immigration? Lubnaa Joomun ................................ 16
Crisis in the councils, mental health challenges, key workers still key?, freedom of information Mark Meantime, support for independence
Ferguson, Iain Ferguson, Stewart Forrest, Carole Ewart . ....................................................................... 17 in Scotland seems to be stabilising
Combating misogyny and sexism on the left: a shift is needed and must come Frances Curran ...........19 at around just over 50%. This is
What should an ideal Scottish male leader look like? Heather Farley and Saffron Roberts ................... 20
intriguing as the biggest supporter of
Taking arms dealing seriously – what needs to happen Jonathan Deans . ............................................. 21
independence, the SNP-led Scottish
How will the pandemic change the Scottish political landscape? Colin Fox ........................................... 23
Government, is not having the best of
Forget your roots at your political peril Kenny MacAskill ....................................................................... 24
times over its handling of the COVID-19
‘Jack Jones: The Unsung Hero’ - making a film about a union leader Nigel Flanagan ............................ 25
crisis (especially with regard to schools,
Remembering Neil Davidson Gregor Gall ............................................................................................... 26
Film and book reviews Jackie Bergson, Sean Sheehan, Gordon Leggate, Colin Darroch......................... 27
the NHS and care homes which are
Vladimir McTavish’s - A Kick up the Tabloids........................................................................................... 31
devolved matters). That maybe due to
continuing concerns over Brexit and
2 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 118 July/August 2020
revulsion against Boris Johnson and his Dutschke, in the late 1960s translated writes: ‘Ironically, MacAskill’s piece in
Westminster Government. But even this into his strategy of ‘the long march the Scottish Left Review – which claims
though the SNP Scottish Government is through the institutions’ to describe his the charges were “utter bunkum”
making heavy weather at the moment, method for establishing the conditions – was almost certainly part of an
it is still riding high in the polls for next for revolution such as subverting society orchestrated campaign to rehabilitate
year’s Holyrood elections. Maybe, this by infiltrating institutions such as the Salmond because, lo and behold, it was
arises from the situation where the professions. Unbeknown to many, the accompanied by Jim Sillars’ revelation
Scottish Government finally seems to long defunct Revolutionary Communist that the former first minister is writing a
be departing from mirroring the actions Party has achieved this. Alongside many book that will be like “a volcano”.’
of the Westminster Government. But of its former members now being Brexit
She could have tried to substantiate this
it also might be more to do with the Party MEPs, newspaper columnists and
theory merely by contacting myself, the
lack of effective opposition to the SNP the like, one – as head of Number 10 editor of Scottish Left Review. If she had,
in the context of two things. The first Policy Unit - is now leading the newly she would have been told that this is
is the media does not seem to have announced Westminster government wholly untrue because of the following:
the will or capability to scrutinise the commission into racism. This is Munira
Holyrood Government – so much for Mirza. She has previously denied i) We asked for a range of writers to
being the ‘fourth estate’. The second institutional racism exists and has analyse the fallout from the Salmond
is that Scottish Labour still does not attacked anti-racist campaigners. trial in terms of a) the impact on
seem credible in terms of personnel or the SNP, Scottish Government and
This issue of Scottish Left Review once independence movement and b) the
policies. At First Ministers’ Questions again leads on COVID-19 but the focus
(FMQs), the questions are pedestrian way the media reported the case. Those
is now not just on counting the cost approached other than Kenny MacAskill
and do not cut through an equally but also on readying the ground for
pedestrian defence. Added to this is that and Jim Sillars declined or did not
reconstruction in both the short- and respond;
Scottish Labour is now committed to long-term.
go into those 2021 Holyrood elections ii) We have had Kenny MacAskill and
opposed to a further referendum on How to stay safe at work Jim Sillars writing for us before so this
independence. Scottish Labour says now Section 44 of the Employment Relations was not a new relationship brought
is not the time for more constitutional Act 1996 provides employees with the into being and for the purpose Garavelli
navel gazing and that attention should means to contest the adequacy and/ alleges; and
be paid to class issues and economic and or suitability of safety arrangements
at work without fear of recriminations iii) Our pages are open to different
social injustice. What it just cannot seem
(like getting sacked) or suffering views, opinions and perspectives on
to get its head around is that for many,
detriment (like loss of wages). It the left. That is the raison d’etre of
it is those very same things that mean
provides employees with the right to Scottish Left Review – to be a forum for
the avenue of an independent Scotland
withdraw from and to refuse to return the constructive discussion between
remains a credible one (without that
to a workplace that is unsafe and to do and across the left and those in parties
being the SNP’s offering from its
so on full pay. Employees are entitled to and not in parties. We hold true to that
Sustainable Growth Commission). By
remain away from the workplace if they today as did Jimmy Reid, our founding
contrast, Scottish Labour could say
believe the prevailing circumstances editor, did in 2000 when he set up the
it shall support the right to a further
represent a manifest risk of serious and magazine. Indeed, in the same issue as
referendum in order to help get one,
imminent danger which they could not those articles by Kenny MacAskill and
merely in order to have the public
be expected to avert. Section 44 entitles Jim Sillars is one supportive of the SNP
argument against independence per se
employees to claim for constructive Scottish Government by Joe Middleton.’
or any particular version.
dismissal and (unlimited) compensation The text of this statement was also sent
It is a testament to the common and in the event that an employer fails to to Dani Garavelli but we received no
frequent experience of racism members maintain safe working conditions. For response. Subsequent to this, and in line
of by the BAME communities in Britain more details see https://section44. with our editorial policy, we have further
that the Black Lives Matter campaign co.uk/ articles in this current issue which touch
here has been re-ignited by the protests upon the subject matter that underlay
condemning the murder of George Statement from Scottish Left Review
This statement was printed as a letter those articles in the May/June issue. We
Floyd, whether by taking down statutes look forward to this being recognised by
or street names of racists or taking the in Scotland on Sunday (10 May 2020)
and circulated on social media. It was Dani Garavelli in the pages of Scotland
knee. For dedicated anti-racists, the on Sunday.
issue must now become one of how released as the integrity and reputation
can this campaign embed itself as a of Scottish Left
Review was
broader movement so that it becomes
wrongly traduced.
about more than protesting. Antonio
Gramsci developed the idea of the ‘Unfortunately,
need to establish a counter-hegemony Dani Garavelli
through a ‘war of position’ – in other (Scotland on
words, develop alternative values Sunday 3 May
and an alternative ideology to those 2020) engages in
that dominate capitalism. German her own conspiracy
communist student leader, Rudi theory when she
3 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 118 July/August 2020
Feedback
Mary MacCallum Sullivan starts with an apology to SLR: I wish I’d met you earlier
I regret the delay. I have now read –
very thoroughly – two issues, so please
consider me repentant. In the last
issue, the editorial pointed to the big
issues presented by the pandemic, three
only the beginning. And, only in an
independent Scotland will the Scottish
left find its new place in the time after
the SNP. It’s the only possible scenario
that will generate the political and
Whatever we call the way forward,
we must take action; there must be
alliances, there must be a plurality and
a diversity in our action, to attempt new
ways, reformulate tried and tested ways,
of which were what the crisis says about cultural energy required to fuel radical invest resources in people, meaningful
capitalist society, what’s happening to and fundamental change. work and ‘well-being’, locally-driven,
the workers’ movement, and what the nationally-directed, internationally
For no nation is truly independent – the
crisis says about viable alternatives to co-ordinated. A radical courage is now
pandemic has reinforced that. We are
capitalism. called for, an openness to local and
all interdependent, and must embrace
community initiatives and the major de-
It emphasised the fragility of the inter-national co-operation as the only
centralisation of power.
‘progressive’ left and worried that way to begin to address the people’s
workers have an immediate vested and planet’s ills. Such a challenge makes It is a moral challenge such as we have
interest in a rapid return to ‘normality’. the Scottish polity look wee, and a bit never faced before. Can we, as a people,
In addition to the weakness of the stupid, if it fails to stand up against raise ourselves to our full height, losing
ground on which ‘ordinary working the scandalously incompetent English- the ‘Scottish cringe’ in the process?
people’ stand, the editorial could have dominated Conservative party which Can we, as a species, take up and
pointed to the capture of Britain’s and has held the British state in its thrall acknowledge our responsibility for the
international wealth by the 0.01% of for shamefully long. Brexit will never destruction we have wrought on the
the corporate class, the oligarchy. In this benefit Scotland - the Conservative planet and its living systems, and pledge
deplorable state, we face the economic party would have to change its whole the local, national and international
and environmental challenges. The current delusional ideology before it will and resources to work towards
capacity of the radical and revolutionary, could begin to find any answers to the global repair and the realisation of a just
as well as the social democratic left, challenges facing the nation and the transition to a safer and more equitable
the editorial concluded, to address world. So that’s my response to the future? Make no mistake: this will not
all of this, is at a very low ebb. Add to editorial’s first point: capitalism has be easy. Revolution must be joined;
that the scale of the challenge of a Tory been demonstrated not to work for the nothing less will do.
Westminster government with a large 99.9%.
Mary MacCallum Sullivan is a
majority, and a narrative that Labour For the workers’ movement, Marius psychotherapist and educator with an
itself is at a level of minimal influence or Ostrowski has just published a interest in a more meaningful local and
credibility. Manifesto for a Progressive Alliance ethical politics
There’s the challenge to the Scottish (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020), calling
left. The last issue’s content directly for a ‘rainbow coalition’, unity across
addressed the coronavirus crisis itself in classes, the ‘radical middle’, all to join
the various accounts and explanations. in a united open left to create the
The desired ‘new normal’ was called for minimum heft needed to begin to shift
in respect of the required revolutions in those rusted levers of power. Prepare
housing, transport, health and the like. now; be serious about gaining power;
It is not enough. I have observed this start with Holyrood 2021, take a
scene, from far and near, for more than deep breath and vote for an
fifty years now, and, like the editorial, I independent Scotland as
am not yet hopeful. the starting-point for a
radical re-orientation of
The scale of the crisis faced is global democracy; it’s the
and existential – not just of humanity only thing that
but of the living earth. We understand will start an
the dynamic systems of this planet so unstoppable
little that we cannot know where the process of
tipping points are. We are told that we change across
have a mere decade to preserve the Britain.
stability, at least, of our only habitat, its
very ‘habitability’. Yet we stand in mortal For the editorial’s
danger of allowing that 0.01% to derail third point - what
the efforts and energies of the rest of us. the crisis says about
The usual terminology does not suffice; viable alternatives to
‘left’ and ‘right’ are past their sell-by capitalism – we have
date. Yet a revolution is called for, even a clear idea about the
by ‘rightist’ think-tanks and the Financial essentials of the ‘Good
Times. Society’ and the Green
New Deal now set before
What will enable and power the us by a range of actors.
necessary change? We start from where Are any or all of these
we are. An ‘independent’ Scotland is ‘viable’? Is this ‘socialism’?
4 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 118 July/August 2020
Money begets money: how the Tories
helped the rich get richer during the
COVID-19 crisis
O
Prem Sikka dissects the Westminster governments series of economic and financial initiatives
n 30 January 2020, the World On 20 March 2020, the government and other bills. Mortgage payments
Health Organisation (WHO) announced the Coronavirus Job were deferred but eventually would
declared Covid-19 to be ‘a Retention Scheme (CJRS). Under this, need to be paid. People could hardly dip
public health emergency of the government paid 80% of the salary into their savings. At the end of January
international concern’. This provided of retained workers up to a total of 2020, the UK household debt stood at
ample warning and time for the £2,500 a month for employees on the £1,680bn and 12.8m households had
Westminster government to manage payroll at 1 March 2020. The staff had to either no, or less than £1,500, in savings.
the economic consequences of the be furloughed and that was a decision Some 7.5m workers had virtually no
pandemic. Its response has been chaotic only to be made by employers. There savings. The government’s wage support
and inadequate. It did little to help the was no guaranteed minimum level of did nothing for 320,000 homeless
poorest and this exacerbated existing support from the government. people in Britain, many of whom are
inequalities. Companies receiving outside the tax net altogether.
government aid were not required The tight date meant that those recently
made redundant or put on unpaid After public criticism, on 26 March 2020
to give any binding commitment to the government announced the Self-
maintain jobs, pay taxes or refrain from leave were not covered by the scheme.
Typically, more than half a million Employment Income Support Scheme
paying dividends. This article provides (SEISS). It consisted of a taxable cash
a brief overview of the details and people start a new job every month and
many of these were not eligible for the grant, equivalent to 80% of their average
shortcomings of the major economic monthly profits over the last three years,
interventions that Westminster wage support. The wage subsidy was not
accompanied by any stipulations about with an upper limit of £2,500 a month.
government has taken. The scheme applied to sole traders and
redundancies. The subsidy was operated
The Chancellor’s budget statement through Her Majesty’s Revenue and partnerships with annual income of up
of 11 March 2020 contained very few Customs (HMRC) and linked to the Pay to £50,000. The scheme was open to
measures in relation to the Covid As You Earn (PAYE) system of paying tax, claimants receiving more than half of
pandemic. It said that the government i.e. only employees already paying tax at their income from self-employment.
would reimburse the cost of statutory source were covered. Many employers The scheme again operated through
sick pay for up to 14 days for businesses refused to top-up the wage and their HMRC and the size of the grant was
with less than 250 employees, which workers received only 80% of their determined by the claimants’ tax returns
could provide up to £2bn for up to 2m normal wage. Those on the national for 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19. The
businesses. Other initiatives included claimants had to show that they traded
minimum wage, set at £8.72 from 1
allowing businesses and the self- in 2019-20; had been currently trading
April, were particularly hit hard. Despite
employed to defer tax payments. Rather and intend to continue to trade in the
the enforced wage cut, workers were
than any direct help, the government tax year 2020-2021.
still liable to pay 100% of the cost of
said that banks will offer loans of up to rent, rates, food, gas, water, electricity The House of Commons Treasury
£1.2m to support small and medium
sized businesses, and the government
would provide guarantee to cover 80%
of the losses. Other steps included
50% business rates relief for selected
businesses with a rateable value of
less than £51,000. The cost of this
was estimated to be around £1bn.
The Chancellor boldly forecasted that
despite Covid-19, the economy would
grow by 1.1% in 2020.
By mid-March, governments in Denmark
and elsewhere were announcing
lockdowns and agreeing to pay a
significant proportion of furloughed
employee wages, with conditions
that the employers commit to no
redundancies for the next twelve
months. There was no equivalent
move in the UK. On 17 March 2020,
the Chancellor announced that the
government would provide £330bn of
loans to businesses, with government
guarantees. Small businesses soon
complained that banks were subjecting
them to more expensive loans and fees.
5 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 118 July/August 2020
Committee reported that over a million pay during the period in which their even though 34% of its shares are held
people did not receive any support, commercial paper is outstanding’. So in a Cayman Islands based trust.
and added that ‘hundreds of thousands far 53 companies, recipients of £16.2bn
An investigation by TaxWatch in June
of people who have set themselves of loans, have provided this type of
showed that 13 of the aforementioned
up in business since April 2019 who letter. No monitoring or enforcement
53 company borrowers had links with
do not meet the eligibility criteria’. mechanism was specified for any
tax havens and possible tax avoidance.
About 225,000 self-employed people element of the government support and
For example, Baker Hughes, which is
with annual trading profits in excess of some novel practices came to light.
a subsidiary of General Electric (via a
£50,000 were also ineligible for support.
Many wealthy individuals own more Bermuda holding company) received
Some 710,000 directors of companies
than one home. A second home £660m. General Electric (GE) is
pay themselves with a combination of
is often owned through corporate embroiled in a £1bn tax dispute with
dividends and a salary. The dividend part
structures. Some of these companies HMRC over unpaid taxes going back
did not qualify for the SEISS. Freelancers
are considered to be small and became to 2004. Chanel Limited is owned by
and agency workers also seemed to be
eligible for business rates holiday and Litor Limited, a company based in the
excluded.
£10,000 coronavirus grant intended for Cayman Islands. It received £600m of
Somewhat perversely, the government small businesses. The owners of more government money. Tottenham Hotspur
penalised the people investing in than 7,000 second homes in Cornwall football club received £175m despite
their businesses’ future. Imagine the and Scilly alone qualified for millions being owned by a billionaire tax exile,
case of two businesses with identical of pounds of government support. A Joe Lewis, who lives in the Bahamas.
trading profits: one makes investment survey by solicitors in June suggested
So, in summary, there is little evidence
in productive assets which qualify that around a third of employees
of any well-planned government
for capital allowances (a sort of legal were asked to commit furlough fraud
strategy. The economic policy was
depreciation) and, therefore, reports during the lockdown and persuaded
reactive and made on the hoof, with
lower taxable profits. The second to work, with threats of pay cuts and
numerous holes. Millions of people
business does not make an investment deportations. HMRC is examining some
did not receive any financial support.
and reports higher taxable profits. The 3,000 cases.
The poorest were hit the hardest as
owner of business investing in the future
During the Covid crisis, supermarkets the government failed to provide a
received lower cash grant.
did a roaring trade and it is hard to minimum level of support. Due to low
The government has given all businesses make any economic case for them wages, income/wealth inequalities
financial support. They enjoyed wage to receive subsidies. For the year to would have increased. Large amounts of
subsidies and business rates holidays, all February 2019, Tesco had pre-tax profits money have been given to corporations,
without any stipulations. Social security of £1.3bn and is expected to show even but without any stipulations about jobs
benefits are means-tested, but the same higher amounts for 2020 and 2021. Its or changes to corporate governance.
did not apply to Covid support. So far, coffers were boosted by £585m from In the absence of such stipulations, the
and in return for loans, the government the government’s business rates relief ending of the Coronavirus Job Retention
has not acquired an equity stake or a holiday. In April 2020, it declared a Scheme would result in a spike in job
charge on the assets of the business. final dividend of £635m, making a total losses. Businesses were not required
pay-out to shareholders of £900m for to repatriate profits or control from tax
The UK government made £330bn
the year to 29 February 2020. Its chief havens. A golden opportunity for ending
available for loans though the Covid
executive collected a pay packet of £6.4 offshore opacity and tax avoidance
Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF). By
million. games has been missed.
19 May 2020, £18.8bn had been loaned
to 55 major corporations and a further Amidst the crisis, on 6 February 2020, Prem Sikka is Professor of Accounting
£38.8bn of potential lending to another EasyJet directors put down a resolution and Finance at the University of Sheffield
68 businesses had been authorised. In to pay final dividend of £174m whilst and Emeritus Professor of Accounting
return, the Bank of England said that putting staff on unpaid leave. Some at the University of Essex. He writes
borrowers ‘will be expected to provide £60m would go to its co-founder, Sir regularly for Left Foot Forward (https://
a letter addressed to HM Treasury Stelios Haji-Ioannou. Shareholders duly leftfootforward.org/author/prem-
that commits to showing restraint on voted for it and the dividend was paid sikka/) on accounting, economic and
the payment of dividends and other on 20 March. On 6 April, EasyJet secured financial matters and can be found at @
capital distributions and on senior a £600m loan from the government premnsikka on Twitter.
6 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 118 July/August 2020
Fighting for fairness in COVID-19 crisis:
workers and unions provide the sensible
solution
Roz Foyer reports on what’s been happening in Scotland’s workplaces
T he STUC supports the Fair Work
Convention’s vision that by 2025
people in Scotland should have a
world-leading working life where fair
work drives success, wellbeing and
Among them are: Kirsty Jones, 41-year
old mother of two and healthcare
support worker for NHS Lanarkshire;
Angie Cunningham, 60-year old great
grandmother and NHS Borders nurse;
transport unions have refused to return
to work until they have guarantees it
is safe to do so; and health and care
unions have won financial support
for social care workers, ending the
prosperity for individuals, businesses, Catherine Sweeney, 64-year old absurd situation where care workers
organisations and society. The Dumbarton care worker; and Robert are left terrified of getting coronavirus
Convention’s Fair Work Framework Black, 51-year old father of two and symptoms and having to self-isolate
(FWF) goes on to define Fair Work Kintyre paramedic. on £94 a week statutory sick pay. Each
through work that offers all individuals of these have been crucial victories
an effective voice, opportunity, security, Health and care workers have had to – not simply for their own terms and
fulfilment and respect. For workers, deal with the trauma that they may have conditions – but for the health of our
‘voice’ is one of the most crucial infected the very people that they were society as a whole.
elements of the FWF and the STUC has caring for, through no fault of their own.
This is a scandal of the highest order, for Life for Scotland’s workers has been
lobbied hard to ensure the extension
which employers and Government are made a little easier for those who know
of collective bargaining has been
responsible. they can rely on their union for support
recognised by Scottish Government as
and safety. STUC’s survey highlights
the most legitimate way to give workers We must remember all the workers that that unionised workers feel safer, have
that voice so they can effect positive have put themselves in harm’s way to more access to PPE, and are working
change in their workplaces. keep earning for their families and to in places with clear policies on dealing
Building on the FWF, the STUC and care for their communities. And, we with the virus. The joint STUC Scottish
the Scottish Government produced rue the day that there are some who Government statement has also played
a joint statement on fair work value their profits more highly than life its part with many affiliates reporting
expectations during the COVID-19 itself. Nearly 70% of private care homes that it has been a useful tool in their
crisis. The statement sets out strong have had suspected Covid-19 cases, negotiations with employers during the
expectations of employers, including: significantly higher than not-for-profit crisis. During these exceptional times
strict adherence to health protection homes. This is a result of allowing profits and periods of crisis, we need solidarity
advice; paying workers while they are to be put before people. and collective power more than ever.
sick or self-isolating; supporting those In other sectors, non-essential As well as fighting for lives, the STUC
with caring responsibilities; facilitating employers have continued to operate has been fighting for livelihoods. We
home working; providing adequate and failed to implement adequate social launched the ‘Time 2 Pay Key Workers’
personal protective equipment (PPE); distancing measures. From whisky to campaign calling for an immediate £2
undertaking continual risk assessments; construction, manufacturing and non- an hour pay increase for all keyworkers.
and protecting contracted workers as essential retail, employers have put It is a travesty the keyworkers keeping
well as core staff. workers lives at risk in the pursuit of our society running are also some of
Despite this, the defining experience for profit. the most systematically low-paid and
too many workers during the pandemic Call centre workers have been forced undervalued workers in our society.
has been a complete disregard of fair into offices with scant regard for social We are also fighting for financial security
working practices. Since the beginning distancing, crammed into lifts and made for those working in large swathes of
of March, the STUC and the Better than to use filthy toilets and workstations. A the economy that have been shut down.
Zero campaign have been deluged with detailed study by Professor Phil Taylor More than 110,000 Universal Credit
calls, emails and Facebook messages from the University of Strathclyde, claims were made in Scotland in the
from workers concerned about their involving more than 500 call centre five weeks to 7 April 7. An estimated
lives and livelihoods. workers across Scotland, found three- 750,000 in Scotland have been
First and foremost, workers are quarters were convinced they would furloughed, representing more than a
concerned about the health and safety catch the virus and 9 in 10 feared quarter of the workforce. Were it not for
of themselves, their colleagues, their bringing it home to infect their families. the union movement making the case
families, and their communities. An If workplaces cause this much fear, for the furlough scheme we would have
STUC survey of more than 2,000 workers they should not be open. It is as simple undoubtedly have seen countless more
undertaken at the beginning of the crisis as that. But guidance and rights are redundancies.
revealed unparalleled levels of fear. Over of scant use to low paid workers in
Yet it has not just been Government
half of respondents required to work precarious employment – it’s worker
intervention that has saved jobs,
didn’t feel safe and 42% said they did power and not words on paper that can
workers have had to take action too.
not have access to adequate PPE. make all the difference.
Because the furlough scheme pays the
Health and care unions have reported Where workers are organised business not the workers, employees are
outrageous health and safety breaches, collectively in a union, they have been at the mercy of employers and we know
including a lack of PPE, particularly able to fight back. Postal workers that thousands more have been laid off.
in residential care homes. Frontline have walked off the job in protest at Workers whose employers refused to
health and care workers have died. delivering junk mail; education and furlough them have looked out for each
7 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 118 July/August 2020
other. Others who were told to sign new catering. The STUC and all unions have during the crisis was of twenty workers
contracts followed the advice that Better an enormous challenge to keep up at a restaurant in Glasgow City Centre.
Than Zero distributed at the start of the with these changes, and to make sure Pre-lockdown they had their hours
crisis: Don’t Sign, Delay, Organise. workers in these irregular kinds of work suddenly cut to zero with no clarity on
are supported with the best tools and their job status or whether they would
Workers at the Lighthouse, a Glasgow
tactics, and can share their own insights get paid for work they had already done.
City Council-owned venue who are
and organise together. Their questions and emails were initially
employed through an agency, were ignored, limiting their ability to access
told on 18 March that the building was Times are more uncertain than they financial support. The first workers to
to shut and they would only be paid have ever been. One in three workers seek clarity were then offered their jobs
scheduled shifts until 22 March. While in Scotland are now out of work. Half back, but they declined. Why? Because
the agency and employer played a of the respondents in the STUC survey the offer was not extended to all.
game of ping pong with both refusing were unsure if they would have a job
to take responsibility, workers came to return to. Nearly two thirds were Call it mutual protection or solidarity,
together through a WhatsApp group, worried about their own and their this is what it means to be in a union.
made collective demands, went public, family’s employment in the future. Once you are combined together, it is
and won. And beauty salon staff at the easier to join up with the others who are
PURE Spa in Silverburn, which has chains We must also recognise that while facing the same. Approach it together
across the country, refused to accept Covid-19 affects everyone, it does with a plan, and we will get more than
the zero hours contracts they were not do so equally. Black and ethnic we would ever get alone.
told to sign, instead banding together minority people are at greater risk of
dying. Those living in the most deprived There are organising lessons in this crisis
and winning guarantees they wanted for all workers. Keeping in contact with
as well as full furlough. They looked areas are more than twice as likely to
die from Covid-19 than those in the fellow workers through WhatsApp or
out for each other like a family, with other messaging platforms; demanding
support from Better Than Zero, and they least deprived communities. While the
majority of deaths are those aged over to see risk assessments; examining
well deserve the name they earned of company’s profits; making collective
‘Silverburn Suffragettes’. Now they are in 75, it is younger people who are most
affected by the closure of large swathes demands; exerting pressure through
the GMB union. public criticism; and taking collective
of the economy. Women are more likely
This experience is commonplace up to suffer economically, face additional action. As the furlough scheme is wound
and down the country. Almost half of childcare responsibilities and be at down and the economy opens up, these
furloughed workers work in hospitality greater risk of domestic abuse. simple steps will be crucial in delivering
and non-essential retail. These are two fairer work in workplaces the length and
of the most low-paid, precarious, and Workers on precarious contracts are at breadth of Scotland.
from the point of view of employers, far greater risk of financial insecurity.
The crisis has shown employers will
easily disposable sectors in our Large numbers of workers fall through
not deliver Fair Work unless they are
economy. Yet they have shown how to the cracks in the Self-Employment
forced to and currently the Scottish
navigate a treacherous environment Income Support Scheme. Half of people
Government lacks the powers to enforce
through a clear course – collective working in the creative industries
changes in employment practice. So
demands with collective demands. have been forced to borrow money to if the Convention’s vision of Scotland
survive. being a world-leading Fair Work country
Workers in oil and gas, manufacturing,
construction and education have also We must address the specifics of these by 2025 is to be met, it will depend on
fought and won being furloughed rather issues in order to organise a collective, us to make it happen and turn these
than laid off. Workers at BA are currently working class response. Unionised aspirations into actual change on the
fighting a campaign against its plans workers are twice as likely to feel their ground by unions educating, agitating
to lay off workers before re-employing job is safe than non-unionised workers. and organising across all Scotland’s
them on worse terms and conditions. That is why it is so important that workplaces and throwing the resources
workers join a union and get active. But of our whole movement behind that
There are risks of a rise in temporary until we represent all of these groups, effort.
and casual work, and pressure to work
we will not fully represent the working Roz Foyer is general secretary of the
faster and cheaper, in traditional gig
class. Scottish Trade Unions Congress (STUC)
work like food distribution, but also
increasingly in sectors like care and One of the most inspiring stories I heard
8 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 118 July/August 2020
Crisis within a crisis: the failure of private
sector care
Stephen Smellie charts a way out of the crisis in both short- and medium-terms
T housands have died in care homes
in a fragmented service delivery
model designed to generate a
The crisis in supplying PPE for staff
in care homes and providing care at
home mirrored that across the NHS
market, where operators’ desire to make and council services. However, it
profit rather than provide quality care was exacerbated by fragmentation.
The staffing level crisis has been
compounded by NHS and council
staff having to be deployed to plug
critical gaps in private sector provision,
with health boards taking control of
is the driving force and where public Eventually, the government set up a private companies’ staffing levels and
accountability is weak and regulation system where the NHS supply system provision. This illustrates the urgent
light. This model was failing in normal and council run distribution networks need to develop a national workforce
times to provide quality care. It was were able to ensure sufficient supplies plan for social care led by the Scottish
clear the model was not going to be able reached staff in the private care sector. Government working with CoSLA,
to cope under pressure of a pandemic This could be extended to include the health boards, unions and providers,
where the most at risk were the older provision of all essential supplies to and should be based on the Fair Work
people that care homes cater for. ensure continuity of supply and the principles.
benefits of large-scale procurement. Concern about death levels led the
Predominantly a private sector - 59%
of care homes and 77% of care beds in The number of deaths suggests private Cabinet Secretary for Health to give
Scotland are for profit, provision is in care homes failed to implement full additional responsibility to Directors of
the hands of a range of providers, from infection control measures. Early on Nursing in each health board to ensure
economically inefficient single care UNISON demanded staff who were the clinical standards expected of care
home operators to large international being told that they should isolate for homes. This is designed to address the
companies. The latter has developed a 14 days if a household member had suspected failures of clinical standards
model where profit from providing care symptoms must be paid their normal in many care homes. Simultaneously,
is sometimes less important than their wages and not the much lower SSP. It the Care Inspectorate has been required
profits from property transfers to report to Parliament on
and leases – and profit that, in its findings in monitoring
some cases such as HC-One, and inspecting care services.
is off-shored to shareholders These responsibilities should
operating in tax havens. be enhanced with powers to
require councils to takeover care
The pre-pandemic signs were provision where standards are
not good. A quarter were rated not being met including where
only as adequate or poor by the staffing levels have not been
Care Inspectorate and 52% had maintained at safe levels.
vacancies for nursing staff. For
The testing regime that has
years, recruitment to the sector
been introduced in care homes,
was a major problem. Given its low- was inevitable some staff, faced with co-ordinated through the NHS, will
wage business model, long hours and huge cuts in earnings, would go to work, need to be maintained with providers
stressful working conditions, this was hoping their partner’s cough was not required to ensure that this is delivered
not surprising. Covid-19, and, therefore, breaching across all care homes. On the basis of
The crisis has exposed the weaknesses infection control measures. Despite these measures, the funding formula
of the system in stark human terms assurances to the sector that additional for care homes should be revised to
measured by the deaths of service users costs would be met, companies refused ensure all the expected measures of
and staff, the level of staff absences to take this simple step to protect staff standards of care, staffing, Fair Work
compared to health staff and the and service users. The government and supplies are met before any profits
poverty that staff have experienced had to intervene, under pressure from can be taken and these capped at a
whilst being forced onto Statutory Sick unions, to effectively regulate the modest level. Where providers decide
Pay (SSP) as the employers refuse to pay payment of normal wages to staff in they wish to withdraw from the sector,
normal wages while staff isolate. private care companies. This mirrored as the prospect of making great profits
the recent experience of getting the reduces, the government should have a
Support for a National Care Service Scottish Living Wage (SLW) paid to care strategy for care homes to be brought
(NCS) is growing but we are some way staff where negotiations are needed into the public sector at no cost.
from being clear about what that would, each year for the payment to be made.
should or could be. A NCS where care is Even then unions had to fight to get Stephen Smellie is UNISON branch
publicly funded, nationally coordinated sleepovers included and for domestic secretary for South Lanarkshire and
and delivered on a not-for-profit basis and catering staff to be included. The Depute Convener of UNISON Scotland.
is an aspiration to work towards and Fair Work in Care Group should now UNISON Scotland launched its ‘Care
government, councils, unions and others build on this by developing sectoral after COVID’ proposals for a publicly
should start planning for this. However, bargaining to cover terms and conditions owned and controlled care service on 24
the Scottish Government, NHS and June 2020 – see https://www.unison-
across the sector. This would start with
scotland.org/wp-content/uploads/Care-
local authorities have had to take steps consolidating the SLW across the sector
After-Covid.pdf
to alleviate the failings of the private and set out a timescale for raising levels
providers in this crisis. These steps are of pay to equivalents in health and local
the basis on which an alternative system government over an agreed period (like
can be built. five years).
9 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 118 July/August 2020
Domestic abuse and COVID-19
Megan Gordon reports that a bad situation is getting worse – so much more funding is needed
I magine that you have a partner who
constantly belittles you and your
children. Or, who controls where you
go, who you speak to and what you
wear. Imagine that they humiliate you,
domestic abuse. Restrictions on the
conduct of court business, combined
with changes to police and court
procedures, mean that the waiting
must not be overlooked. Recently,
our sisters at Engender and Close the
Gap published a set of nine principles
for inclusive economic recovery that
would benefit all women. It is vital
times between police response and
and that sometimes they are violent. trial are mounting rapidly, as is the that these principles are implemented
Now imagine having been trapped in backlog of trials. Access to affordable, so that women and children who have
a house with them for the past three domestic-abuse-competent legal experienced domestic abuse are not
months. Stress about Coronavirus services is poor at the best of times left behind in the aftermath of the
is not causing domestic abuse – for women, children and young people Coronavirus.
domestic abuse is an abuser’s choice, experiencing domestic abuse. This Domestic abuse has not taken a
always. However, measures taken access is now further constrained as break for this pandemic, and neither
to address the pandemic have been many solicitors have been furloughed. have we. Women’s Aid groups have
providing additional tools for abusers All of this means that decades of radically redesigned their services
to exercise their control. progress in reforming courts and to continue providing support, and
At Scottish Women’s Aid (SWA), building confidence in the justice Scotland’s Domestic Abuse and Forced
we work with a network of 36 local system is swiftly eroding. Marriage Helpline has remained fully
Women’s Aid groups. We have heard Women are not the only ones at operational. However, Women’s Aid
from them, and from the team on higher risk during lockdown - children groups were already facing intense
Scotland’s Domestic Abuse and Forced and young people are victims difficulty before the increased
Marriage Helpline, that perpetrators alongside their mothers. With the pressure of the pandemic: 84% of our
are using these new tools to control closure of schools, nurseries and groups were already operating waiting
women’s movements, keep them after-school clubs, children and young lists and 79% had seen reduced or
isolated, threaten to expose standstill funding from their local
them to the virus or tell them authorities. This picture has to
that services are not operating change – we need significant
or that the police will not increases in local funding and
respond if called. We also know a long-term plan to ensure
that many women who do that adequate funding is stable
not live with their abusers are and sustainable. Responses
living with more fear because to Coronavirus make this a
their abuser knows that they greater priority, especially as
will be spending time at home, we see a tsunami of economic
making stalking easier for him. problems approaching, and
we will continue to call for the
As well as increased risk, needs of women, children and
lockdown and associated measures young people who have experienced
people have lost their safe spaces
have limited the opportunities that domestic abuse to be visible and
and had few opportunities to reach
women, children and young people prioritised as lockdown measures ease
out to trusted adults outside of their
have to reach out to Women’s Aid and as plans for economic and social
home. As children return to school,
or call services for help. Constrained recovery are made.
we anticipate a period of increased
mobility also means fewer
disclosures of abuse. It is vital that If you or somebody you know is
opportunities to access emergency
resources are in place to support experiencing the coercive and
accommodation, including refuge.
them, that their needs are readily controlling behaviours we’ve
Domestic abuse is the number one identified by schools and social described here, Scotland’s Domestic
cause of women’s homelessness in workers, and that there is adequate Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline
Scotland. Access to refuge has been funding for Women’s Aid and other is available 24/7 to listen to you and
seriously affected by a reduction in children’s services to provide the right offer support. You can call on 0800
refuge spaces due to social distancing support at the right time. 027 1234. Or, if it’s not safe to speak,
measures. To make a bad situation you can email and web chat from
The impact of the pandemic will
worse, many social landlords have www.sdafmh.org.uk. We are here for
mirror the inequalities already
frozen allocations of vacant homes so you, and it’s safe to speak.
embedded in the everyday lives of
women and their children have been
women: we are more likely to have The Engender and Close the Gap
unable to move on from refuge into
part-time and precarious employment, report can be found at: https://www.
those homes. As lockdown measures
to head single-parent households, to engender.org.uk/content/publications/
begin to be relaxed, an urgent scaling
depend upon social security benefit, Gender--Economic-Recovery---
up of efforts to help women and
to do unpaid caring work and to be Engender-and-Close-the-Gap.pdf
children stay safe at home or, if that
absent from the tables where power is
is not safe, move to welcome place of Megan Gordon is the External Affairs
wielded and resources are distributed.
safety is needed. Officer for Scottish Women’s Aid
As we look towards another recession,
Other measures during the pandemic the needs of women and children who
are problematic for those living with have experienced domestic abuse
10 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 118 July/August 2020Scottish education in the Covid pandemic:
to be forewarned is to be forearmed
With so much still unknown, Bill Ramsay says the rush to return to school is ill-advised and dangerous
W hen considering Scottish
education at this time, it
must be borne in mind
that the tension between health and
economic factors, what I will call the
would not be expected to flip from
plan A to plan B to plan C and, if
circumstances change, back to plan A
with the flip of a switch.
the virus. We still do not know
how many children have the virus
without any symptoms. We still do
not know with any certainty whether
children transmit the virus. We still
As school buildings closed, teachers
‘Covid calculus’, is constantly changing. do not know when we will have a
continued to work - though in
As the ‘Covid calculus’ changes so do testing and tracing regime that is as
different ways. Also, the response
the expectations and demands on comprehensive as those in some other
to the call for teachers to staff hubs
all in Scottish education. The current countries.
was met swiftly. From the start, many
positive downward trajectory of Given these many unknowns, the
teachers, often using their own or
Covid-19 may continue and much of borrowed equipment, started to loud demands from some politicians,
the discourse and political aspiration provide work and reassurance to and somewhat simplistic assertions
is focusing on that. Yet, this downward their pupils. It should be remembered made in sections of the media, for a
trajectory may stall. And in amongst that many teachers have their own swift return to normality in Scotland’s
all this, we have science as ‘truth’, families to look after during lockdown. schools is, at this time, premature. In
science as ‘conjecture’ and now, Most teachers are in the 25 to 40 order for schools to open safely for
dangerously, ‘inconvenient’ science. age range and across the whole everyone, more teachers are required
Some climatologists must be thinking, teacher workforce 77% are women, and, if the best of the digital learning
‘welcome to my world!’. many of them carers. Then the experiences are to be sustained in
The politeness and patience of some Covid-19 Education Recovery Group the future, that will require central
child poverty champions when was convened to work up a plan in and local government to provide
confronted by the crocodile tears of response to our public health crisis. significant additional resources.
some on the right is commendable. At the time of writing, we have had Bill Ramsay was the 2019-2020
We can only hope that these new some statements from the Scottish President of the Educational Institute
political champions and their ‘born Government concerning the 2021 of Scotland (EIS) union
again’ support for programmes of exam diet. Some, with a more
educational equity is sustained into progressive perspective, hoped that
the longer term. Certainly, teacher the educational storm clouds of
trade unionists in Scotland will do Covid-19 might lead to a silver lining
their bit to hold them to their pledges where one of the original visions of
of support. the Curriculum for Excellence, a single
What we can all agree on, though, exit exam, might somehow emerge.
is that Covid-19 has forced a new At least there appears to be a
discourse around education. Within consensus, in the educational
this, Covid-19 has highlighted community, around the need for more
the centrality of the teacher, the teachers to deliver a blended learning
classroom and the school. These are approach. However, in the political
three components that, because they community there seems to be no
have been around ‘forever’, so-to- equivalent consensus around funding. Cover: Nadia Lucchesi
speak, tend to be taken for granted. Some local authorities were preparing, (nadia.shemail@gmail.com)
In, and of themselves, they are the due to historical budgetary legacies,
most critical components that any to pare down their teacher workforces Proofing services:
education system can bring to bear on while at the same time the General John Wood and John Daly
educational inequity after, of course, Teaching Council was issuing a plea
the socio-economic settings in which to retired teachers to step up to the Editor Email: Gregor Gall
young people find themselves. plate. gregorgall@outlook.com
At this time, some in the political Delivering teaching and learning for Web: www.scottishleftreview.scot
community and in the media seem to 700,000 pupils in a school estate, Tel: 0141 424 0042
have an expectation for teachers to straight jacketed by the ‘efficiencies’ of
plan for a wide range of contingencies, the Public Finance Initiative (PFI), was Address: Scottish Left Review,
but then switch from any one of them challenging enough. In my view, the 14 West Campbell Street, Glasgow
to any other almost immediately on death- avoiding strategy of physical G2 6RX
the 11 August this year. distancing cannot be ignored.
We should remember that last year Printed by
We still do not know when we will
in Scotland there were 697,989 pupils have a vaccine; we still cannot with Hampden Advertising Ltd,
and 52,247 teachers working for over certainty know that we will have 403 Hillington Road, G52 4BL,
thirty different employers. Even an a vaccine. We still not know how Tel: 0141 429 1010
organisation in uniform of that size many in the wider population have
11 - ScottishLeftReview Issue 118 July/August 2020You can also read
