LAST year, Unite Community celebrated its 10th anniversary. This year saw members from across Britain meet up for their first sectoral conference, coming together to discuss and debate motions from the membership on the future campaigning of Unite Community in the context of 70 per cent of workers experiencing a real-terms pay cut in the run-up to Christmas.

Workers are fighting back in their communities, and with the rise in trade union membership, we have an opportunity to turn that membership into activism, so that every Christmas isn’t a choice between heating or eating.

Unite Community members in Scotland have this year looked at organising and planning events to attract new politically aware people, to encourage and engage them in activities like supporting striking workers and organising events.

We have seen the launch of Unite for a Workers Economy, Unite’s campaign to tackle the cost-of-living crisis from a grassroots level by linking up the community branches with the retired and industrial sectors, to take on a fight that doesn’t stop at the end of the working day.

The West of Scotland branch organised a night in St Lukes with authors Stewart McGill and Vince Raisin in discussion with broadcaster and sports journalist Graham Spiers about their book The Roaring Red Front which looks at football teams with a left-wing following around the world. There was music provided by The Wakes, a well-known political folk rock band from Glasgow. The event was sold out — it’s clear that linking entertainment to politics helped get a wider audience.

Unite Community members have been heavily involved in Unite’s national care campaign in Scotland where they have been pushing the union’s petition urging the Scottish government to implement demands that would ease the cost-of-living-crisis for workers in the sector.

Activity has taken place in Saltcoats, Irvine, Ardrossan and Coatbridge where members have engaged the local communities to back local care workers.

They have also been involved in industrial organising for the campaign, present outside multiple care homes in Ayrshire and Lanarkshire, engaging directly with workers in their struggle for better pay, terms and conditions.

As part of raising awareness of the national care campaign, members utilised connections with actor David Hayman and seized the opportunity to support him in the play Time’s Plague, set during the pandemic in an NHS hospital, which was on for eight nights at the Fringe Festival and then a 40-night tour all over Scotland.

Unite Community helped the show to be affordable and get into a lot more working-class communities. Complimentary tickets for each show were available to local activists too. Many told us this was their first night out since the pandemic.

From worker to worker, it’s never charity but solidarity — this year, like every year, Unite’s Christmas appeal encourages and supports branches and members to make donations.