A TRADE union which controversially backed a No vote in 2014 must consult its members before deciding its policy ahead of a second independence referendum, according to a leading activist.

Richie Venton, an Usdaw shop steward and a member of the union’s UK-wide Executive Council, criticised the shopworkers’ union for what he described as a “lack of proper consultation or debate” before it supported Better Together in 2014.

He said: “In the last Scottish independence referendum, Usdaw raced with Aslef and the GMB unions to be the first to affiliate to the anti-independence Better Together campaign, which was funded by the Tories and fronted by Labour’s Alistair Darling.

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“That decision was made by the then Usdaw general secretary, with no proper consultation or debate amongst Scottish union members. Literally the only two-sided debate held in the whole of Scotland was the one I organised in my own workplace union members’ meeting, where I debated with the Usdaw Scottish Officer, with 83% of the members present voting Yes at the end, the rest undecided and not one single vote cast for No.

“When the general secretary sent every Scottish Usdaw member a letter and an email urging us to vote No to independence, it caused ructions and resignations from the union. Even many members who were against independence were furious at the lack of democracy involved.”

He went on to urge the union not to proceed in that way ahead of a possible new vote.

“We have not yet discussed the issue on our current executive council (EC), so I don’t pretend to speak on behalf of the whole EC.

“But I strongly share the opinion of many, many Usdaw members that there must be no repeat of that divisive, destructive exercise, next time round. As a minimum first step, I think the union should defend the right of the Scottish people to decide their own future,” he said.

“I have consistently argued that instead of calling on members to vote No, the union leadership should actively encourage and organise democratic debates, at workplaces, union branches and Scottish Conference, with equal time and space for speakers and writers for and against Scottish independence to ensure an informed membership cast their votes in a second referendum.”

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He added: “I for one would be arguing for self-government as a means to an end. To vastly boost pay in this notoriously low-paid sector; meet our union’s key demand for a guaranteed minimum 16-hour-week contract for every worker who wants one; and a charter of workers’ rights, instead of the repressive anti-union laws suffered in Tory (and New Labour) Britain.

“There’s a far more realistic chance of achieving these union aims in a Scotland with full power over employment rights and the minimum wage, than of dreaming about persuading Boris Johnson to suddenly become the workers’ friend.”

Usdaw backed a No vote at its Scottish conference in Dundee after inviting Better Together chairman Alistair Darling to address members. Nobody from the Yes campaign was invited.

The No position of the Communication Workers Union was reached after a motion was drafted by its UK executive. Scotland’s largest trade unions Unison and Unite remained neutral.

Venton, who is also a senior activist in the Scottish Socialist Party, spoke out after Grahame Smith, the general secretary, called for Scottish Labour to back a second independence vote.