Tour de Scotland

I’ve spent quite a bit of time in GMB Scotland with my good friend and Regional Secretary Gary Smith in this last couple of months. Gary has been in post as Regional Secretary now for three years and the region is really motoring.

You can see my piece on the Glasgow Women’s Strike here, but a couple of weeks later I went for a tour of some of the big employers that we organise and to meet the reps and activists who are doing a fantastic job organising and representing our members.

Our members at Tenants make ‘Scotland’s favourite pint’ so I am told – unfortunately the tour was scheduled for first thing in the morning so I didn’t get chance to check! I met with reps and had a look around the new visitor’s centre that was set to open the following week. I had a chat with members about the range of products they make and talked about competition in the sector. I was also given a lovely Tenants hat which some eagle eyes have already spotted me wearing on social media.

At Ferguson Marine on the Clyde, I met some of our reps and members who really have work class skills – they’re the best at what they do in the world, the jobs they do include building passenger ferries from scratch. New orders are absolutely crucial to keep the yard going, it’s something we’re pushing nationally and in GMB Scotland.

Over at BAE systems we went from passenger ferries to air craft carriers. Not only did we meet the current generation of highly skilled workers there, but apprentices who are training to be the next generation of shipbuilders on the Clyde.

We have some fantastically organised branches in these areas and as a result, the workforce has a real and powerful voice in the workplace. That’s what it’s all about.

Thank you for the invite GMB Scotland!

#GenSec