As UNISON’s national delegate conference is in Glasgow this year, it was fitting that a large part of this afternoon was spent discussing devolution.
Not just the result of the Scottish referendum last year or the SNP gains on 7 May, but how UNISON responds to devolution across all four nations and also how the union responds to devolution in England with initiatives currently looking to devolve more powers to the north of England – ‘Devo Manc’ or the ‘northern powerhouse’.
Delegates heard that the union needs to seize the undoubted opportunities that devolution offers but that the threats “were very real”.
“Elements of devolution we can be positive about, ” said one speaker, “but we need to be cautious, cynical and ever watchful.”
One speaker noted how power was very centralised in the UK and that UNISON should broadly welcome devolution but be careful with one speaker noting that the proposals for the ‘northern powerhouse’ benefitted big business and not members while another arguing that we could see “rival cities racing to the bottom to attract business”.
