Trade union stalwart celebrates 70 years to sterling service

A trade union stalwart from Galashiels has received a badge of honour after 70 years of sterling service.
Mary and Muriel.Mary and Muriel.
Mary and Muriel.

A trade union stalwart from Galashiels has received a badge of honour after 70 years of sterling service.

Muriel Johnston recently received a badge commemorating her seven-decade membership of and service for the Transport & General Workers Union, now part of Unite.

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The presentation was made at Unite’s Borders Retired Members Branch annual meeting at the union's new office in Galashiels High Street.

On hand to present the award was Unite's deputy Scottish secretary, Mary Alexander, who paid tribute to Muriel's "continuing vigour, breadth of experience and doughty campaigning on behalf of older people".

Muriel began working for the union when she left school, and trained in shorthand, typing and filing.

After retirement she embarked on an Open University course and became secretary of the branch for retired union members.

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Ms Alexander said Muriel was an inspiration to those in the movement and those to come, and heartily congratulated her on reaching the 70 year milestone, adding: "She had maintained her association with the union ever since starting work in its Galashiels office after she left school.

"She has helped older people deal with the impact of the switch from analogue to digital and has helped them deal with the impact of bank branch closures.

"Her commitment to the union was only rivalled by her justifiable pride in her two sons and a love of opera."

In response, Muriel said she had "no regrets" over her seven decades of service.

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She said: "I have a lot of happy memories of my experiences over the last 70 years and had made a lot of good friends along the way.

"I still care deeply about other people, especially for those trying to cope in these challenging times."

Following the presentation Ms Alexander went on to talk about the cost of living crisis and the union’s concerns with the new National Care Service which is currently being formulated.

She said: "Whilst the First Minister claims the setting up of the NCS is the biggest shake-up since the establishment of the NHS, Unite members working in social care have strong reservations about the way the NCS is taking shape with the local authority role in delivering social care being totally undermined by the proposed centralisation of care and the relentless shift towards private sector provision which sees big companies like HC2 depositing the profits they have made on the back of public sector funding into offshore bank accounts.”

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