Scotland's Skills for Tomorrow

Part of the debate – in the Scottish Parliament at 4:06 pm on 25 April 2001.

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Photo of Tommy Sheridan Tommy Sheridan SSP 4:06, 25 April 2001

The minister is deliberately trying to mystify us. The adoption of the directive would in no way, shape or form affect the statutory right to redundancy pay. The minister knows that. It would have guaranteed that the workers at Bathgate did not hear about the loss of their jobs on the radio. They would have been consulted and they would have had statutory negotiating rights. They would have been able to ensure that they could see Motorola's books and to discuss why Nokia, which has produced such a large increase in its market share, is able to outdo Motorola—the second largest mobile phone company in the world—and whether that was to do with product design and other matters.

The point is that workers in this country are easier to sack than are workers in any other country in Europe. That is why the Government must stand condemned—as the unions have condemned it. Since 1997, new Labour has refused to sign up to the European directive on consultation and information and it should be condemned for that. I hope that the minister will be prepared to do that.

It is a pity that in the course of her remarks the minister mocked, as did some other Labour members, the idea of occupation of Bathgate as an option for workers who are defending their jobs. It is worth bearing in mind that in 1971, some 30 years ago—