AT the time of writing there is still no political oversight operating at West Dunbartonshire Council with staff left in the dark.

This will mean in practice yet more power transferred to senior managers who already have substantial delegated powers.

The committees that trade union representatives expect councillors to attend, where they raise the concerns of their members cannot take place if the said councillors don’t turn up.

And there are concerns aplenty with the unions having major issues across the council, with the HSCP a particular problem.

The long-term practice of dragging out grievances while fast-tracking disciplinaries continues.

The unions rightly want to know what the Council has spent on outside agencies, consultants, external lawyers etc.

WDC is off target on its current budget cuts never mind the disaster that awaits with next year’s budget.

The talk is of 300 jobs going and some believe this is why Labour walked.

Mobilising for a fightback with the unions and community seems beyond the ken of the politicians.

Clydebank TUC had representation at its last meeting from a local pressure group over the planned hydrogen plant at Auchentoshan Distillery.

Among the concerns expressed were lack of consultation, health issues, including over blast concern in a residential area, and additional heavy transport in the locality.

There seemed to be no contact by the company with the Health and Safety Executive. Support to the group was expressed by trade council delegates.

Local social media forums have been scathing over the voting record of the new MP Douglas McAllister.

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He voted against scrapping the two-child limit benefit cap (as did neighbouring MP Patricia Ferguson) which would have immediately lifted 300,000 children out of poverty.

These two MPs followed that disgraceful decision by another, voting for the cut to the Winter Fuel Allowance to ten million pensioners, with a knock-on effect in Scotland.

Only those on the means-tested Pensioner Credit will now receive it while it’s estimated that over 850,000 eligible pensioners don’t claim it, plus millions of others just over the threshold.

Starmer and co better hope they don’t now go onto claim it as the saving over this brutal cut would be wiped out.

Universality is the most efficient way to operate the benefit system whilst using the tax system to claw back from those who don’t need it.

But that would mean taxing the rich!

The money “saved” by this cut is small beer compared to overall government spending.

So why did they do it? Why did they take this “tough” (sic) decision.

Many trade union activists believe it was to dampen down expectations of what the working class could get from this Labour Government.

While Clydebank TUC will be campaigning on the streets over this attack on pensioners there are other even more pressing issues for our old folk. Britain has one of the lowest state pensions in Europe and tax-free thresholds are frozen until 2028 while the cost of living soars.

As for the excuse of the shock of finding a £22 billion black hole. The Institute of Fiscal Studies said the “black hole was obvious to anyone who dared to look”. Others agreed.

The challenge over the coming period for these two Labour MPs along with the rest is, are you going to stand up for your working-class communities, or continue as careerist nodding dogs for Starmer. Don’t hold your breath.

Finally.

Clydebank TUC and West Dunbartonshire branch of UNISON have organised a showing of the film The Old Oak.

This is a Ken Loach-directed film with anti-racism at its core. There will be a brief talk at the end with speakers from Show Racism the Red Card and Unison Black Workers Committee.

It will be held on October 1 at 7pm in the Hub Community Centre, Kilbowie Road, in Clydebank.

It's free and all are welcome.