LONDON, March 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Unite the union which represents hundreds of Forest Commission workers has today welcomed the Scottish Government's announcement to abandon proposals to lease up to 25% of Scottish woodlands to private companies.

Unite, the UK's largest trade union, has also reiterated its call for the Scottish Government to also abandon its proposals to scarp the Scottish Agricultural Wages Board (SAWB) which protects the terms and conditions and sets the wage levels for 25,000 workers in Scotland's agricultural sector.

The campaign to preserve the SAWB has further intensified following the UK Government's decision to consolidate its support for the retention and continued development of the Agricultural Wages Board in England and Wales.

Unite Scottish Regional Secretary, John Quigley, said:

We welcome the announcement of the Scottish Government to abandon the proposal to privatise Scotland's forests. This will provide a greater degree of security for those working in the industry particularly in this difficult economic period. However, the Scottish Government worryingly only realised the folly of the proposal after a long and sustained trade union campaign.

Unite urges the Scottish Government to also drop the proposal to abolish the Scottish Agricultural Wages Board which protects 25,000 workers particularly in our rural communities.

The UK Government recognises the unique conditions facing agricultural workers and the need for a collective negotiating body - so why is Alex Salmond intent on driving down the pay and conditions of Scottish agricultural workers to the absolute minimum? We ask the Scottish Government on this issue to also think again.

For further information contact Andre Brady on +44(0)141-248-7131 or Ashraf Choudhury in the Unite Press Office on +44(0)20-7420-8914 or +44(0)7980-224761