With estimates of up to 90,000 people rallying against war in Glasgow on 15 February, it was the biggest event to be seen in Scotland in modern times. http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/siu/siumar03.html#4
But it hasn't stopped there. Over 7,000 people turned out in Edinburgh on 6 March to an early evening lobby of the Scottish Parliament as two marches from across the city merged.
The Stop the War Coalition is now calling on people to demonstrate around Scotland at teatime on the day war starts. Look out for local details.
UNISON, in conjunction with Christian Aid and CND, also lobbied the UK parliament on 12 March when the union called on the government to re-think the war against Iraq.
Speakers included Bill Rammell MP, under-secretary for the United Nations, Sally Keeble, under-secretary for International Development and Phil Shiner from Public Interest Lawyers.
UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis told the Glasgow Rally, "No war, not in my name and not in the name of UNISON. This war is immoral, it's wrong and together we will stop it."
UNISON's National Executive has issued a statement on Iraq which condemns Saddam Hussein's regime but says that change must be brought about "by a political rather than a military solution".
It also calls for increased political and diplomatic pressures on the UN and the US to find a peaceful resolution to the crisis in Palestine and Israel. It calls on the UK Government to "respond positively to the legitimate concerns of our union and the British people" and explicitly state they will only operate under the auspices of the UN and work towards an alternative to war.
More Information The full NEC statement can be found at: www.unison.org.uk/international/iraq.asp
Other helpful links include
www.unison-scotland.org.uk/internat/inter.html, where there is also news on the middle east crisis.
See also www.banthebomb.org/peace/index.shtml, for news on the Scottish Coalition for Justice not War, and www.stopwar.org.uk.
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