THIS month, Scottish Labour gears up for its annual conference in Edinburgh. Whilst that may not be of great interest to some readers, there’s one event I’m speaking at which has a close connection to your local paper.

The Keir Hardie Society is holding its own fringe event on the link between Labour and the trade union movement, and why Keir Hardie believed it was so vital to establish a political party for the working class.

Even if you’re unfamiliar with James Keir Hardie, born in Lanarkshire in 1856, he has local connections.

Working in the mines from the age of 10, he led strikes in Ayrshire and became Secretary of the Ayrshire Miner’s Union.

There’s a street named after him in Ardrossan just off Eglinton Road, and to make ends meet he wrote a column for this paper in the 19th century.

His column ran regularly with stories on industrial action in mining communities and emphasised the need for the working class to take political and industrial action.

His final column, published in 1887, came a full nine years before he founded the Labour Party and became its first leader.

The trade union movement he was part of was helped secure so many of the rights workers have today – a weekend, holiday and sick pay, pension provision and maternity and paternity leave to name a few.

He’d be appalled to find the poverty and inequality which still exists to such an extent here in the West of Scotland and across the UK, and that so many workers’ hard fought rights are under attack from this Tory government.

On the first day of this month, over half a million workers were on strike in Britain – one of the largest days of industrial action in decades.

If ever there was a Conservative government that has profoundly misjudged the public mood, it’s this one.

Most polling indicates support for these workers.

You’d think the Tories would see sense, get around the negotiating table, encourage employers to do likewise and ensure workers receive the overdue inflation-proof pay rises they deserve.

What has been their priority instead?

Rushing through legislation making it harder for key public sector workers to strike and forcing staff to work in some circumstances, with those who refuse facing the sack with no right of appeal.

The UK already has the most restrictive trade union laws in Europe, so this marks a significant assault on working people’s right to organise.

Not even Margaret Thatcher was so brazen.

Labour has committed to reversing this legislation if it wins the election in 2024 and strengthening bargaining rights.

Over a century later, Keir Hardie’s contention that workers must unite to be “arbiters of their own destiny” seems just as valid.

Whilst billionaires and bosses make colossal profits, ordinary people are being told to put up with low pay and rising prices.

I’d encourage all readers to get find out more about Keir Hardie and his message.