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JEREMY CORBYN will promise to transform the lives of Scots under a Labour government, including introducing a £10-an-hour living wage.
In his first election campaign visit north of the border at the STUC conference, which begins today, the Labour leader will set out a raft of policies to help ordinary working Scots.
His pledges include negotiating a Brexit deal to protect working people, repealing the Trade Union Act, opening inquiries into blacklisting and Orgreave, guaranteeing the triple lock for pensions and requiring companies holding public contracts to recognise trade unions.
He will tell the delegates at Aviemore: “The choice facing the country is clear. It’s the people versus the powerful. Labour will challenge the rigged system that is holding our country back. And, just like trade unions, we will stand for the many, not the few.
“Labour will never, ever apologise for the closeness of our relationship with the trade union movement — you are our family.”
Speaking ahead of the three-day congress, STUC general secretary Grahame Smith demanded Prime Minister Theresa May hand Holyrood new powers on immigration and employment rights post-Brexit.
The STUC called on Westminster to entrench the rights of EU citizens currently in Scotland, allowing them to remain living and working in the country.
Mr Smith said: “It is vital that the trade union movement restates its position on Brexit and the protection of migrant workers.
“The STUC will continue to oppose hard Brexit and to campaign for free movement and the right of EU nationals living in Britain to remain in Britain.”
Power over employment law and equalities should also be devolved to Holyrood and MSPs should be able to increase the minimum wage, he argued.
The STUC also wants the Scottish government to be able to legislate on the right to work for refugees and asylum-seekers while devolving more power could help create more apprenticeships and see more workers paid the living wage.
Motions being debated at the three-day congress “make clear the commitment of affiliated unions to inward migration and to the protection of migrant workers through legislation and trade union organising,” Mr Smith added.
