All the union news that's fit to blog...
The STUC will vigorously oppose Scottish Government plans to absorb the specialist British Transport Police (BTP) into Police Scotland and delegates were dismayed that the announcement of these plans was made without any public consultation.
Supporting an emergency motion from the RMT, George McIrvine of UNISON Scotland’s Police Branch told delegates that although there have been rumours thatRead more…
Foodbanks were used to feed people more than one million times in the 2014-2015 financial year. This is the highest ever figure since records began. It’s an increase of 19% on the previous year. It’s a shocking figure, made all the more so when you realise that 400,000 of those…Read more…
Millions of missing voters have made their mark by registering to vote. It’s a triumph for democracy and a triumph for Unite’s No Vote No Voice campaign. Back in July Unite launched the No…Read more…
The end of the month will see the last deduction of union subs straight from our pay. Make sure you don’t also say goodbye to your union membership – the only way to do that is to get…Read more…
“Whatever its make-up, the new government must reconsider the request by UK Coal for State Aid.” The NUM and its remaining 2,000 members are obviously aggrieved by the unfairness of the situation that the government has refused to invest in a future for the Deep Coal Mining Industry, even though…Read more…
#stuc15 The STUC is to call for a major house building programme, focussing especially affordable and council housing, not only to meet need but also to boost employment and the economy. It also called for work with Shelter, other charities, community groups, and the People’s Assembly, to build a broad based campaign to support a living rent.
UNISON Scotland’s Susan Kennedy, backing the USDAW,Read more…
Health spokespersons from four parties – Labour, Conservative, Lib-Dem and Ukip – took to the stage yesterday (April 21) to debate the future of the NHS at the British Medical Association. As…Read more…
TUC and UNISON say facts make a mockery of Tory claims to be protecting health service spendingRead more…
#stuc15 The STUC overwhelmingly backed a range of measures to rebuild local democracy. It will press the Scottish Government to provide resources to ensure strong local democracy and to return to councils greater control over local taxes and powers to take services back in-house.
Moving the composite on behalf of UNISON and the GMB, Depute Convener, Stephen Smellie called for a return to theRead more…
#stuc15 The STUC will lobby for GPs to be more available to patients to reduce pressure on emergency and other front-line, diagnostic services.
UNISON Health’s Catriona Beveridge told delegates that it is not appropriate for GP facilities only to be available during the traditional hours they work whilst the rest of the NHS has extended access.
“It is time for GPs to help to provide additionalRead more…
#stuc15 The reason the Tories can justify five years of pay cuts for public service workers is simple according to UNISON’s Gordon McKay. “They don’t like you!”
“In fact it’s far deeper than that”, he said. “They despise you. Every public sector worker whether it is in the NHS, education, or local government who delivers world class public services to the ill, the young or the vulnerable is aRead more…
The strike at Fox’s Biscuits in Batley, west Yorkshire by engineering workers on Tuesday and Thursday has been suspended for a vote on a new pay offer to take place, Unite announced yesterday (April…Read more…
Colleagues,
There is much that feeds into the educational and pedagogical strategy of the international labour and trade union studies programme at Ruskin College.
Some of this is a reflection of our day-to-day work with trade unions when meeting the…Read more…
#stuc15 The STUC was uncompromising in its backing for a comprehensive arms embargo on Israel until it ends its violations of international law and Palestinian human rights.
Delegates condemned the terrible Israeli assaults on Gaza over the Summer of 2014 which left thousands of Palestinian civilians dead and many more injured and homeless, many of them children.
Sam McCartney, Chair of UNISONRead more…
#stuc15 “Ensuring that an organisation reflects the community which it serves is clear proof of its commitment to equality and inclusion,” UNISON’s Priscilla Maramba told delegates, as they backed a CWU motion calling for a review of trade union activists and officials and action to ensure they are reflective of proportionality.
Priscilla added that the greater the equality of representation,Read more…
#stuc15 The STUC sent solidarity and support to the people of Rojava and Kobane and pledged to lobby the Government to do everything it can to ensure that humanitarian aid gets through to Rojava, to support the refugees from other parts of Syria and to ensure that Kobane can defend itself and its people.
UNISON Scotland’s Depute Convener, Stephen Smellie “was privileged to visit North Kurdistan,Read more…
Review of Securing a pay rise: the path back to shared wage growth, Edited by Gavin Kelly and Conor D’Arcy, The Resolution Foundation This collection of essays is a very valuable overview of progressive opinion on the earnings crisis, a must read for those engaged in any aspects of the debate. Some…Read more…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2015-32406128I doubt any readers of this blog would be daft enough to believe that Nick Clegg’s promise to end real term pay cuts in the public sector can be relied upon any more than his promise on tuition fees five …Read more…
Unite general secretary Len McCluskey has called for a full public inquiry into the safety of air breathed aboard airliners following the death of a cabin crew member and a pilot. Unite member…Read more…
Check out this completely neutral, unbiased and extremely scientific flow chart on how to decide whether or not you should vote Tory. Read more…