Unite Welcomes Forestry Commission Announcement

LONDON - Unite the union which represents hundreds of Forest Commission workers
has today welcomed the Scottish Government’s announcement to abandon
proposals to lease up to 25% of Scottish woodlands to private companies.

Unite, the UK’s largest trade union, has also reiterated its call for the
Scottish Government to also abandon its proposals to scarp the Scottish
Agricultural Wages Board (SAWB) which protects the terms and conditions and
sets the wage levels for 25,000 workers in Scotland’s agricultural sector.

The campaign to preserve the SAWB has further intensified following the
UK Government’s decision to consolidate its support for the retention and
continued development of the Agricultural Wages Board in England and Wales.

Unite Scottish Regional Secretary, John Quigley, said:

“We welcome the announcement of the Scottish Government to abandon the
proposal to privatise Scotland’s forests. This will provide a greater degree
of security for those working in the industry particularly in this difficult
economic period. However, the Scottish Government worryingly only realised
the folly of the proposal after a long and sustained trade union campaign.

“Unite urges the Scottish Government to also drop the proposal to abolish
the Scottish Agricultural Wages Board which protects 25,000 workers
particularly in our rural communities.

“The UK Government recognises the unique conditions facing agricultural
workers and the need for a collective negotiating body - so why is Alex
Salmond intent on driving down the pay and conditions of Scottish
agricultural workers to the absolute minimum? We ask the Scottish Government
on this issue to also think again.”

Source: Unite the Union

For further information contact Andre Brady on +44(0)141-248-7131 or Ashraf Choudhury in the Unite Press Office on +44(0)20-7420-8914 or +44(0)7980-224761