Chair, conference, Kieron Green, STUC Youth Committee.
Thank you for inviting the STUC Youth Committee to address this conference. It is good to see so many delegates here today; to share opinions and perspectives, tackle issues and to raise the profile of disabled workers.
Without the power of unions it would be all too easy for employers to discrimate again groups within the workforce; whether those groups are young workers - new to the workplace and perhaps uncertain of their rights, or disabled workers - sometimes perceived by unscrupulous employers as requiring too much in the way of support or assistance.
In the current economic climate, with more and more workers facing redundancy, with attacks on conditions and with decent pension provision being axed it is essential for there to be a strong voice from workers, especially those who are young or who have disabilities. For these cuts - and that is what they are, cuts, not savings, refocusing of services or whatever jargon management tries to use to cover their own backs, these cuts are not about a lack of money.
The executives are continuing to live their lives of luxury, cushioned from the realities of the credit crunch by hundreds of billions of pounds of taxpayers money, our money. Already on salaries hundreds of times greater than the lowest paid, the fat cats argue that they should be entitled to bonuses in a year which are larger than the amount some people earn in a lifetime. Those who have caused this crisis, when they have left their highly paid positions receive huge payoffs and massive pensions. Meanwhile on the factory and shop floors pay freezes and cuts are imposed, and decent pensions are deemed unaffordable. For those of us working in public services we are subject to a campaign by these profiteers to drive down conditions to the lowest common denominator. Employers such as Glencraft and Remploy, helping to keep people in work rather than on benefits have faced cutbacks or closure, all for the sake of a fraction of the bonuses the state rescued Royal Bank would like to hand out to it's investment bankers. A generation is leaving schools, colleges and universities with reduced opportunities, and for many, little hope of work.
So what can unions do about this? We can continue to fight against stereotypes and we can inform. Young people are not all antisocial delinquents, disabled workers are individuals each of whom have different capabilities but who all deserve a right to work. We can continue to campaign for workers rights and to provide a balance to those parties that put profit before people and those that seek to perpetuate an unequal society.
As members of different unions we individually have experience of some of the issues affecting workers - but when we work together we can have a louder and more effective voice. So, Chair, Conference, I bring greetings from the STUC Youth Committee and hope that you have a successful, and enjoyable conference.
Thank you