2014 has been a great year for Scotland, and one where we have celebrated and embraced diversity. Over the summer 71 teams from 53 members of the Commonwealth came together in Glasgow for the best…Read more…
Which unions are the most influential in social media in 2014?
Since 2012, I’ve carried out annual research to find out which TUC-affiliated unions are the most influential on social media. It’s been a year since the last review, and so I’ve updated the metrics…Read more…
SWT Pay Talks update for 2014
TO ALL BRANCHES WITH SOUTH WEST TRAINS MEMBERS Dear Colleagues, SOUTH WEST TRAINS ANNUAL PAY 7 CONDITIONS NEGOTIATIONS A detailed written submission was made to the company in September outlining members aspira…Read more…
SWT Pay Talks update for 2014
TO ALL BRANCHES WITH SOUTH WEST TRAINS MEMBERS Dear Colleagues, SOUTH WEST TRAINS ANNUAL PAY 7 CONDITIONS NEGOTIATIONS A detailed written submission was made…Read more…
NHS Pay Dispute – Where Next?
On Monday thousands of NHS workers took to the picket lines for the second time in six weeks. Following the huge success of the action on 13th October, 9 health unions called their members out…Read more…
Performance management is a bad business
I support 100% this criticism about so-called “Performance Management”. It is in my experience divisive, unfair and destroys team work. Didn’t realise that it encouraged “cannibalism” but…
“Performance management, a worker assessment system that pi…Read more…
From Under the Covers to Lecturing in College
FROM RADICAL ACTIVIST to respectable academic? The roles of police agent Bob
Just over a month ago, on October 23, 2014, the Metropolitan Police Service agreed to pay £425,000 to a woman…Read more…
Employers can’t continue to operate in a careers advice vacuum
Sara Caplan is a Partner in the UK Consulting practice at PwC, leading the Education and Skills business. We all have an image in our heads of what career guidance has meant to us as individuals. I…Read more…
Blundering CIPD official in the firing line
A top official of the professional body for human resources managers has found himself in the firing line after telling a conference that blacklisting of trade unionists is a “big fuss about very…Read more…
"As shareholders…."
A few years ago I was sitting in a meeting about a proposed corporate governance campaign when one of the younger people in the room began a sentence with the words “As shareholders, we….”
It really jarred with me at the time, and still does, so I t…Read more…
“UKIP are bringing fear and intimidation in to British politics”
“After this week’s Twitter row at the Rochester by-election, I am using my keynote speech to the
Labour East Regional Conference today to say that it is UKIP who truly offends working class sentiment and represents a party which is fundamentally un-British.
Today I am lucky to serve as a Euro…Read more…
Organising strategy – mobilise or organise?
On 8th November I attended four fascinating meetings at the Historical Materialism conference with people from the USA and Canada discussing the plight of the labour movement and ideas for turning it round.
I found the debates really useful and there …Read more…
Enter the UNISON Scotland Communications Awards
Share your best practice, your innovative ideas and most of all your enthusiasm and enter the UNISON Scotland 2014/15 Communications Awards. Help build a stronger union and get some well-deserved recognition for all your hard work.
Closing date is Wednesday 14 January 2015 and an entry form, poster and all the details are on the website at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/comms/competition/Read more…
UNISON on The Vale of Leven Hospital Inquiry report
Commenting on the long-awaited independent inquiry into patient deaths at the Vale of Leven Hospital which was published today (Monday) UNISON regional organiser, Matt McLaughlin, said:
“The outbreak of C difficile at Vale of Leven in 2007/08 was tragic and, even this long after the deaths, our thoughts must be with the people who lost relatives and friends because of the failures set out inRead more…
Our Future Free from Racism? International Students: milked like cows, treated like criminals
International students bring in tens of billions annually to the UK economy. They generate over 130,000 jobs. They are quite literally a lifeline to the further and higher education sector in…Read more…
Stars and family gather in Glasgow to celebrate life of Tony Benn
Excitement is building ahead of the range of events arranged to celebrate the life of Tony Benn next weekend. Two major concerts and a couple of discussion groups are planned for Sunday 30 November…Read more…
Business minister takes gloves off in fight against Brussels
This morning I saw a very strange story in the Daily Mail. It claims that Matthew Hancock, the Business Minister has vowed to block a proposal that would mean the price of rubber gloves would soar…Read more…
A big thanks to NHS members
We must keep up the pressure on the government, and Jeremy Hunt in particular, so that they implement the pay body’s recommendationRead more…
Family Friendly working in 2014 – How are we doing?
24 November 2014
By Michelle Singleton, Assistant Policy Officer at UNISON.
Since 1998 there have been great improvements that have transformed family friendly policy and childcare provision,…Read more…
Branch Xmas Party
Come and socialise with fellow journos!
The Branch Xmas Party will at the Lord Nelson, Trafalgar Street, Brighton BN1 4ED
on Tuesday 16 December… from 7pm
Buffet food and free drinks for…Read more…