Of all the elections I have been involved with this has to be one of the worst. The big issues that should have been debated have been swamped by the process of coalitions, deals and the banality of…Read more…
Why this election matters – energy policy
One issue that has received very little attention in this election is energy policy. While there are some devolved aspects, the generation, transmission, distribution and supply of electricity…Read more…
Pensions and infrastructure investment
Scottish pension funds should be used as a force for good as well as delivering high quality pensions for our members.
I was giving evidence to the Scottish Parliament Local Government Committee this…Read more…
Workers Memorial Day – Remember the dead, but fight for the living
“Remember the dead, but fight for the living” is the rallying cry for International Workers’ Memorial Day (IWMD) today. It commemorates those workers across the world who died as a consequence of…Read more…
Building better public services
Public service reform should be built from the bottom up through local democracy rather than centralisation. However, no reforms will be effective unless they are fully funded.
I have written a…Read more…
Why this election matters for workers rights
This election matters for workers rights. The ConDems have organised a race to the bottom and if the Tories win this election we can expect at lot worse. In contrast, Ed Miliband left the STUC today…Read more…
Water is returning to public service delivery
Water privatisation is in retreat. Water and wastewater is returning to local authority ownership across the world.
The Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU), Multinational Observatory,…Read more…
Food safety is the priority for Scots
Scots want slaughter houses to be independently inspected by government meat safety inspectors, not handed over to the industry to regulate themselves.
UNISON has commissioned independent pollsters…Read more…
Why this election matters for wages
This election matters because Scotland and the UK needs a government that understands the importance of wages to individuals and the economy.
Since Cameron became Prime Minister the average wage is…Read more…
Why this election matters – public services
‘They are all the same!’ is perhaps the most common response of the politically uncommitted at election time. I’ve been involved in elections since I was twelve years of age and if I’m honest there…Read more…
Priorities for health and care integration
Given the history of health and care integration, we should be wary of raising expectations over what the new bodies will be able to achieve
All Health Boards and Local Authorities in Scotland are…Read more…
Poverty is the real difference between school attainment levels
The Scottish Government’s parentzone website has published data on the performance of school leavers. The Daily Record highlighted how these figures show a shocking class divide between the…Read more…
Longannet – three reasons why it’s closing early
The early closure of Longannet power station in Fife is a shocking blow to the workforce and the Fife economy. The causes are a toxic cocktail of company indifference, absurd regulations and an…Read more…
World Water Day
Today is UN World Water Day. It’s a day to celebrate water. It’s a day to make a difference for people across the world who suffer from water related issues. It’s a day to prepare for how we manage…Read more…
It’s Public Services Stupid!
Public services are the number one election issue for the majority of Scottish voters. Today we have published a full scale poll undertakenby Survation, for UNISON Scotland, that asked Scottish…Read more…
UK Budget 2015
If you are going to tell porkies, tell big ones. That seemed to be the Chancellor’s strategy in today’s budget.
It was as if the past five years didn’t happen. The worst fall in real earnings in…Read more…
Gers report shows Devo-Max is a gamble too far
The annual publication Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (Gers) has brought the debate over the merits of Full Fiscal Autonomy (FFA) or Devo-Max into sharp focus.
The report shows that in…Read more…
Time to take a closer look at your pension
There are some big changes in pensions next month and they are not all good news.
Today I am in Orkney on the latest stage of a pensions tour that has included training up our excellent new…Read more…
Supporting public services
It’s often said, ‘all politicians are the same’, well in this UK General Election it simply isn’t true, at least for public services and those who deliver them.
Today is the pre-election Scottish…Read more…
Focus on social care to end bed blocking
With thousands of beds blocked this winter by patients healthy enough to return home, it’s time for politicians to put as much focus on social care as they are on NHS Scotland.
Thanks to data…Read more…