Unemployment in Edinburgh has increased by 87 per cent in the past year. Businesses have gone under, and lawyers' firms, estate agents, surveyors and other companies associated with the Capital's property market have laid-off staff.
The situation can only worsen as RBS lays off staff and the effects of the HBOS/Lloyds TSB merger results in branch closures and amalgamations.
I've been reluctant to buy into the upbeat, good news messages transmitted by the First Minister every
time he refers to the current economic situation. I can understand why he wants to stiffen Scots' resolve in the face of adversity. But when the recession really bites into what his government wants to do, when there are big cuts in the money doled out by Westminster to Holyrood because of the necessity to repay the billions borrowed by Chancellor Darling, will he still be saying "Chin up, keep going, we've got what it takes?"
Or between now and then, will he have changed the message subtly to indicate that Westminster controls what Scotland needs, to do whatever it takes to keep going so as to keep up with our competitors and partners? One thing's sure, the First Minister hasn't the power to protect Scotland from the worst of the economic storm. And even though he can reel off a list of statistics showing how much more than the McConnell government he and his Finance Secretary, John Swinney have ploughed into the caring services, education and economic development, his honeyed words won't hold back the tide of unemployment from drowning many of the people who'll lose their jobs.
Bold, original thinking is needed from more than even the most talented of Alex Salmond's ministers. And it's needed now, because people should be warned of what's ahead, and plans to meet it drawn up now with the organisation that can reach the parts politicians can't – the STUC.
If ever a cooperative, socially responsible attitude to public policy were needed, it's now. The trades union movement, working with government, can work with individual unions, branches of unions and communities to rediscover communal behaviour. This is how to mitigate the worst effects of unemployment on people, communities, the skill base and the economy.
I spoke at a meeting of the STUC General Council on Monday and referred to the signs, mainly in England, that locally, some trade unions are already doing this.
The STUC can help unions representing workers in both public and private sectors face the facts, and advise managers and workers on protecting their industry and their personal stake in it.
Should they consider wage cuts, as opposed to shorter working weeks? What should the priorities be? Should some much-needed capital projects be put on the back burner to protect and improve care of the elderly, given the recent disclosures about the well below standard care endured by thousand of old people?
At a time when the selfishness, greed and irresponsible management practices of some of "them" has left "us" fearing the future, and politicians disgust their electorates, which other group could, and would be trusted enough to organise opposition to, and cooperation with, employers' workforce policies, where each are needed?
Already, in anticipation of the big debt pay-back, some kites are being flown on loosening Minimum Wage legislation in the new austerity era. Questions are also being murmured about free pensioners' travel.
The STUC can perform a great service to Scotland by facilitating the rebuilding of communal action taken in the best interests of communities in a way no political party can. If a free press is the Fourth Estate, in today's world, an independent trades union movement could be the Fifth. And the STUC could set the ball rolling.
Talking senseEdinburgh University students are warning that funding cuts will narrow the range of languages studied, with Portuguese and Russian being possibly the first to be dropped by the Modern Languages department.
Whilst supporting the students' campaign to maintain standards, I also think this situation could give rise to a re-evaluation of which languages are taught in schools, colleges and universities, and for what purpose. And should all languages be taught to all students in the same way, and to the same depth? Conventional wisdom is that being able to speak to Romans in their own tongue when in Rome, is A Good Thing. But being able to order the beverage of one's choice, or inquire as to the best way to the railway station requires less study than being able to negotiate a contract in Portuguese with a Brazilian company or in Russian with a company based in Moscow.
We shouldn't regret that everyone we meet on the Costa Brava or in China wants to practise their English on us . . . but we should overhaul how we teach theirs.
