Jeremy Corbyn to speak at Unite Scotland policy conference

Unions are concerned about the impact UK Labour’s nuclear weapons review will have on jobs while Scottish Labour has already voted to scrap Trident.

Labour is also fighting to hold favour with unions in Scotland, with many members defecting to the SNP and Scottish branches of major unions such as the RMT and the Communication Workers Union voting for independence in 2014.

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SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s First Minister, and Unite general secretary Len McCluskey will address the conference on Sunday.

Scottish Labour has urged trade unionists to fight “SNP government cuts to council budgets” which local authorities fear could lead to 15,000 job losses.

Scottish party leader Kezia Dugdale is expected to say: “We know that investing in education is the most important economic policy we can have.

“If we can give every child and young person a world-class education then they, and Scotland, will be able to take advantage of the amazing opportunities the future will bring.

“We have a radical plan to ensure that every child, no matter their background, gets an education to prepare them for the opportunities of the future.

“Using the new powers coming to Holyrood we would implement progressive taxes on the richest few to invest £1,000 in every school for each child from a poor background.

“But we cannot begin to build a fairer, more prosperous country for those children while local services across the country are being starved of the resources they need.

“We cannot build a better life for those children when their parents are amongst the thousands of local government workers who have lost their jobs or the 15,000 more who Cosla say could go as a result of John Swinney’s £500 million cut to our councils.

“We should be cutting the gap between the richest and the rest, not the budget for our schools and the workers from our services.

“I’ve joined Unite members and local government workers who have been lobbying the Scottish Parliament week after week on the cuts to local government.

“I am calling on all trade unionists to join Scottish Labour and speak with one voice to say these SNP cuts to local councils responsible for our schools and social care just aren’t acceptable.

“We will fight these cuts in Parliament and we need trade unionists to fight them in town halls, in their workplaces and out in the community.”