A ROW has broken out between two MSPs for the area based on the protection of Trade Unions in Scotland.

Margaret Burgess has accused the Labour party of leaving the future of Trade Unions in the hands of the Conservative party by failing to support devolving legislation to the Scottish Parliament.

Both the SNP and Labour joined forces at Holyrood recently to show condemnation against the controversial Trade Union Bill, which is a motion created by the UK Government that will mean 50 per cent of union members must vote for a strike for it to be passed.

Labour MPs at Westminster voted against an SNP amendment to the Scotland Bill however to pass responsibility for industrial relations and workers’ rights directly to Scotland.

The Scottish Government has already asked the UK Government to exclude Scotland from the Trade Union Bill in its entirety and that if they are unwilling to do so, the consent of the Scottish Parliament should be sought before the legislation is imposed on Scotland.

Ms Burgess believes the Scottish Parliament's stance was correct and believes the bill would damage Scottish workers' livelihoods.

She said: “I was proud to cast my vote in the Scottish Parliament to stand against the UK Government’s Trade Union Bill and I was delighted to see Labour MSPs joining with the SNP in opposing this outrageous attack on workers’ rights.

“That’s why it’s so vital that Scotland’s voice is not ignored – and why these plans should require a consent from the Scottish Parliament before they can be imposed on workers and unions here.

“The SNP proposed plans to devolve powers over industrial relations which would have allowed the Scottish Parliament to take a new and better approach – supporting the work of our unions rather than attacking them."

The SNP member is concerned that Labour have not backed her party's bid to devolve the issue to the Scottish Parliament.

She said: "That Labour would rather leave these powers in David Cameron’s hands giving him carte blanche to undermine unions in Scotland is as bewildering as it is wrong – and local Labour politicians will have to answer to workers across North Ayrshire for their decision.

“Trade Unions play a positive and constructive role in our local economy and our society and Trade Unionists and workers can be assured that I will continue to do everything I can to fight this anti-worker legislation every step of the way.”

Labour MSP Margaret McDougall wanted to remind Ms Burgess however that her party has been discussing this issue for some time and that the SNP should stop constantly moaning.

She said: "This is an issue we have been campaign on for months, not just when it suits and it’s now quite clear that the SNP don’t care about the issues that are effecting Scotland, the constitution is more important and comes before everything else.

“Scottish Labour believe it’s better to stand together than stand apart and Trade Union solidarity across the UK is key to the Labour movement. Margaret Burgess MSP, and her SNP colleagues in Westminster, just wants to opt out Scotland, not stick up for workers across the UK.

"I don’t think this is the right course of action and believe that across the UK Trade Unions and their members should fight this bill tooth and nail, we shouldn’t just abandon our brothers and sisters south of the border.

“This is more grievance hunting from the SNP, they aren’t happy that the Scotland Bill will make Scotland one of the most powerful devolved legislators in the world and have threatened to throw their toys out of the pram unless they get more and more powers.

WNot only do the SNP want powers from Westminster they are also centralising services in Scotland, however, they just seem to be collecting power rather than putting it to use.

"It’s time the SNP stop whinging about the powers they don’t have and start using the ones that they do.”