Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) Information

Our purpose is to co-ordinate, develop and articulate the views and policies of the trade union movement in Scotland and to promote: trade unionism; equality and social justice; the creation and maintenance of high quality jobs; and the public sector delivery of services. We support our affiliates in recruiting, organising and empowering workers to work collectively to win better terms and conditions at work. The STUC represents over 540,000 trade unionists, the members of 39 affiliated trade unions and 20 Trades Union Councils. We speak for trade union members in and out of work, in the community and in the workplace, in all occupational sectors and across Scotland. Our representative structures ensure that we can speak with authority for the interests of women workers, black workers, young workers, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender workers and other groups of trade unionists that otherwise suffer discrimination in the workplace and in society. Our policy is set by Annual Congress, which is attended by delegates from affiliated trade unions and trades union councils, each April. Congress elects a General Council to oversee our policy and campaigning work over the year. Since 1999, we have campaigned to influence the policies of the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government, in support of Scottish workers. Since 2002 we have had a Memorandum of Understanding with successive Scottish Governments. The MoU outlines a formal mechanism for on-going dialogue on shared priorities for economic development, public service improvement, equality and social justice.