09/02/2009
The Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee is holding a joint seminar with the Scottish Trades Union Congress to explore what Scotland can learn from the economic and social systems of Ireland, Norway and Sweden.
The seminar, which will be held at Holyrood on Tuesday 10 February, will bring MSPs together with senior trade unionists from all four countries.
The event will focus on the past and present economic performance of each country, and also assess the social models of partnership which exist between the public sector, employers and employees.
Committee member Lewis Macdonald MSP, who is chairing the event, said: “We have heard a lot about the so-called arc of prosperity but now we will hear how it looks from a trade union point of view. This will be particularly important in the context of the global economic recession: which country is best placed to make an early economic recovery, and how will their governments’ policies affect working people?”
Speakers at the event will include:
- Grahame Smith, General Secretary, Scottish Trades Union Congress
- Peter Bunting, Assistant General Secretary, and Paul Sweeney, Economic Adviser, Irish Congress of Trade Unions
- Stein Reegård, Chief Economist, Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions
- Erica Sjölander, Chief Economist, IF Metall, Sweden
Further information
The seminar, entitled The Economic and Social Models in Ireland, Norway and Sweden – A Trade Union Perspective, will be held in Committee Room 1 from 10.00-12.30pm on Tuesday 10 February.
This is the second seminar jointly organised by the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee and the STUC. It follows an agreement by the committee to hold such an event on an annual basis.
The event is open by invitation to trade union representatives and to MSPs. Members of the media are welcome to attend.