Crowds with increasingly familiar banners and pink and red flags gathered in Aberdeen, joining 500,000 Scots taking part in strike action today.
The sight is now a regular one for so many across the UK as people from all sectors are struggling to feeds families and stay warm as salaries fail to rise with prices.
The rally in Aberdeen was carried out on the biggest day of industrial strike action seen in decades.
Workers, mainly in education, rallied in opposition to the UK Government’s proposed bill that would force people to work even if they have voted to take action.
About 70 people from different sectors joined workers to hand out flyers, hold banners and show support.
‘Enough is enough’
Kate Ramsden, a delegate to Aberdeen Trades Union Council who helped organise the last-minute event, said solidarity was being shown all over.
Speaking to the crowds of union members and passersby, she said: “We bring solidarity because it’s really important to know that a victory for one is a victory for us all.
“That’s the beauty of collective action, standing together in solidarity and comradeship.
“That’s why we’re here now saying enough is enough.
“Our right to strike is a fundamental human right it’s absolutely essential to balance the power between the bosses and the workers.”
Not alone in taking action
Speaking after the rally, Ms Ramsden said the event had been “quite uplifting”.
She added: “There’s a lot of strong feelings out there, a lot of support for trade unions and a lot of trade unionists who came along to show their support to protect the right to strike.”
“A further erosion of worker’s rights is the bill that’s just gone through and there’s absolutely no need for it.
“It erodes our right to take action to defend our terms and condition and most importantly our pay and it’s doing it at a time where we know there’s a cost-of-living crisis when our members are really struggling.”
Owen Walsh, a lecturer in the history department at Aberdeen University, said the collective action made workers not feel alone.
He said: “For us, I guess it’s been quite a long running battle.
“We’ve been on strike every year pretty much for the past five years and really I think combined with the cost-of-living crisis it’s just become intolerable.
“Where as in previous years we’ve been on strike on our own, today it’s co-ordinated with a bunch of different unions.
“Because ultimately we’re all suffering from the same crisis and the same set of conditions which is high pay for bosses, constant cuts by the government failure to invest and I guess we’re sick of it.”
University staff sleeping in libraries
However, it is not just pay that is the issue.
Mr Walsh said the cutting of pensions and the lack of secure contracts was causing many people insecurity in the sector.
He added: “The pay issue is very much connected to the general undermining of conditions.
“The sector is running on that kind of low paid and insecure work and for a lot of people it’s not tenable in the long run.”
Rachel Shanks, senior lecturer in school of education at Aberdeen University said it was affecting lecturers, people in professional services and IT services
She said: “It’s not just teaching staff it’s a wide range of staff and we’re all suffering in the cost-of-living crisis because our pay hasn’t kept up with inflation.
“For us at Aberdeen University, UCU branch, it’s always a last resort to go on strike but if there’s something we can’t agree on with employer then we have to be able to go on strike to show how important it is for us.
“We have cases across the country, UCU members who are actually sleeping in libraries because they can’t afford accommodation and are also using foodbanks.”
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