For city

milestone for the DTUC. The trustees of textile baron Sir David Baxter’s will were going to renege on a promise to donate money to fund a separate educational facility for the working class.

Mike added: “I think we’ve been under-appreciated through that time. People might not know that without us there might not be an Abertay University. We campaigned against Sir David Baxter’s will to provide an educational institution for the working class in Dundee. We kicked up about that and the Dundee Institute was set up, which eventually became Abertay University.”

Trade union disputes have naturally been at the heart of DTUC’s action since its inception.

The group holds its annual May Day rally and march every year in City Square and will mark the 150th anniversary at this year’s event on Saturday April 29. But fighting social injustices and poverty has been equally significant.

This includes the formation of Dundee Together, set up as a way of countering a proposed demonstration by the Scottish Defence League.

Mike said: “Dundee Together has also been hugely significant and came on the back of the Scottish Defence League wanting to protest in City Square. We thought bringing people together as a community to celebrate Dundee’s diversity was better than just shouting at them behind the barrier. That’s been hugely successful for the last five years and the feedback has been really positive.”

He added: “We are still facing a lot of challenges and we’re particularly focused on trying to tackle austerity.

“We still have a big role to play in the community.”