Dundee steps forward

DLS members joined others at Dundee’s Speak Oot Summer Conference 2026.

Saturday July 25th saw members of eight local trades unions join with individuals from the Pensioners’ Forum, Living Rent, Lochee Larder, Dundee RAAC campaign, Fans Supporting Foodbanks and others to discuss what is going on in the city. 

The event was opened by Jenny Douglas, President of the STUC. Jenny highlighted that Scottish Trade Union Congress was taking a keen interest in events in Dundee and was open to learning from information and ideas shared. 

STUC itself is moving in the direction of greater campaigning and understands the need to link more closely with communities that are defending facilities and services. It is also understood that this activity is often led by women, women that hold communities together. 

An example was given of the action taken to defend the Douglas Community Centre, in a housing scheme in the east of the city. Those who already had strong relationships built on their previous work or campaigning in the community were able to bring people together and pressurise the council to have a change of mind. 

Individual trades unionists were involved in the activity around defending the community centre - but more needs to be done by trades union branches generally given the actions of those on the right.  Their attempts to distract and divide communities by scapegoating and attacking those that they see as different cannot be ignored. 

Fortunately, Dundee has a long-established trades union council and this works with union branches to take action when needed. Jenny again gave an example where Dundee Trades Union Council worked with unions at the University of Dundee to take action against cuts. 

Jenny had attended the recent protest where the impact of losing yet more jobs was amplified, but additionally the cultural vandalism of removing the university nursery, the Botanic Gardens and the Cooper Gallery was also made clear. 

So how do we respond? Councillor Dorothy McHugh, Maggie Chapman MSP and Councillor Siobhan Tolland spoke to the conference. All, along with Councillor Wendy Scullion who was also in attendance, had stood together against the far-right. Elected progressive politicians, despite party differences, can work together. 

But there was agreement that there should be no working with Reform UK if it is elected to the council in May 2027. Indeed, activity should take place to prevent this situation arising. 

A key obstacle to this is that Dundee’s citizens have seen years of services diminishing, and incomes stagnating. Worse, people feel distant from local politicians and are of the view that senior council officers are ‘running the show’ when it comes to making progress in the town. 

In this light, the proposals to close mental health provision for older people at Kingsway Care Services was discussed. Dundee Pensioners’ Forum, with the support of others, will take the lead in responding to this. 

More broadly, a Dundee Demands Better campaign will be launched centred on a series of meetings across the city.  Trade unionists will discuss with established community groups and those interested in the importance of building community and challenging racism and hate, to identify what can be done. 

Some of this will not be easy. The conference heard how existing groups, like Lochee Larder, are struggling with a mixture of drug use, stresses on volunteers and the divisions the far-right are causing. 

Positives were highlighted however, like the recent council led Dundee Get Together cultural celebration and the experiences of trades unionists Neica McLorinan and tenants’ rights campaigner Ceilidh Smith were drawn on. 

Union members in the city have been brought together and convinced people of the need to win ballots and take action. People have been spoken to on their doorstep about the issues that are important to them. Skill has been employed to listen and to remind of the universal needs that all people share. 

Face to face discussion is important. Naming those that hold power and profit from today’s reality is important. Challenging racism and misogyny is essential. Getting our local politicians to focus on what they agree on and to oppose cuts, is long overdue. 

After July 25th’s Speak Oot conference the left in the city is in better shape. Dundee Trades Union Council will now assist in building on this small step forward. There is a lot of work to do. 

Published 3 August 2026