First minister fails to win over unions
In a struggle that mirrors the one currently dominating the political landscape in England, trade unions in Scotland are locked in an increasingly bitter debate with the Scottish Government over private finance initiatives (PFI's) and the two-tiered workforces they create. At a meeting yesterday with delegates and officials from Scotland's public sector unions, Scottish Prime Minister Jack McConnell's pledges to address organized labor's privatization concerns were met with polite acknowledgement from some but outright derision from others. Meanwhile, the announcement by GMB officials that their union would not support the Labour Party in next year's elections, because of that party's continued support for PFI's and failure to adequately address the erosion of wages and benefits experienced by privatized workers, was met with immense approval.