All the union news that's fit to blog...
UNISON is calling for political parties to agree to allocate more resources for social work and social care workers. This call is being made on International Federation of Social Workers World Social Work Day (Tuesday 15 March 2016)
The reality for social work workforce in Scotland is they have bigger caseloads, shorter timescales, and greater demands leading to greater risks. Social workRead more…
Council job cuts: Yes it is thousands; Fundamental review of council funding needed; Winning no compulsory redundancy pledges;£1m won for personal injuries; Keeping up the fight against the Anti-Union Bill; COMMUNICATIONS AWARDS 2016 Standard of entries ‘absolutely tremendous’; Changing everything – climate film and more; Young members launch award winning anti-bullying guide; UNISON’s RazaRead more…
Ask the climate question – Stop Climate Chaos Scotland’s online debate with political parties
Monday 18th April 2016, 7pm – 8.30pm
With elections in Scotland this May, use your voice to call on political parties to turn climate ambition into climate action.
Join us online from anywhere in Scotland on Monday 18th April at 7pm.
For many years now, all parties in the Scottish Parliament haveRead more…
There’s a new coalition in Scotland working for a just transition
to a new food system.
UNISON is hosting a
workshop on Monday, 7 March, at which the Scottish Food Coalition will launch a new report, ‘PLENTY’. A few places remain for interested NGOs and networks across all
sectors.
PLENTY: Food, Farming and
Health in a New Scotland describes a food system that is environmentallyRead more…
2 March 2016
Dave Watson, UNISON head of policy and public affairs said,
‘UNISON welcomes any progress on the council tax freeze. However after 8 years we had expected more than tinkering with the present system. This will not ensure that local government is properly funded, nor will it ensure a fair funding for local government. Scotland needs a fundamental review local tax funding for localRead more…
Scotland’s largest trade union will lobby the Scottish Parliament on budget day (1pm, Wednesday 24 February 2016) to call for a fair funding settlement for local services.Local government has taken the brunt of cuts in Scotland. Scottish Government funding is down by 0.8%. Yet funding for local government is down by 4.5%. This is a £500m cut from local services this year. The cumulative costRead more…
Reminder for all UNISON members interested in climate change!
Come to our next Green Network meeting in Glasgow – this Saturday, 27 February.
Guest speaker Ric Lander, from Friends of the Earth Scotland, will be speaking mainly on pensions disinvestment campaigns, but will be referring also to fracking and other important policy areas.
We will be discussing what is needed now following the UNRead more…
UNISON Scotland’s largest trade union has been holding a day of action today to campaign against cuts in local services and jobs. UNISON members are holding demonstrations, campaigns and lobbying to call on the UK government and the Scottish Government to use its powers to end austerity.
Local government has taken the brunt of cuts in Scotland. Of the 50,000 job losses in devolved servicesRead more…
Date: Wednesday 10 February 2016
Talks between Falkirk Council and Joint Trade Unions broke down today (9 February) after trade unions could not accept the new package of terms and conditions being proposed by Falkirk Council.
Talks broke down after the Joint Trade Union informed Falkirk Council that following a ballot they felt they could not agree the package put forward.
Falkirk CouncilRead more…
UNISON
Scotland activist Raza Sadiq won the Jaguar Unsung Hero Award at the Lycamobile British
Ethnic Diversity Sports Awards (BEDSA) for his work in developing Active Life
Clubs which encourage young people to enjoy sports.
Raza Sadiq, with BEDSA judges
The Awards took place on 6 February 2016 in London and were attended by sportstars from across the country.
The BritishRead more…
Date: Saturday 6 February 2016
On National Libraries Day (6 February 2016), UNISON is warning that more local government cuts will have a drastic impact on libraries across Scotland, decreasing opportunities for all, and increasing poverty and inequality.
Library services have been undergoing massive change, yet staff numbers have been going down, buildings are closing, opening hours areRead more…
The courses are open to all members and activists and are at no cost to the Branch in addition UNISON staff and Branch Staff are free to apply also but priority will be given to members.
Your Skills, Your Future – 1 day Course 14 West Campbell Street, Glasgow – 3rd March 9.30am to 4pm
Making the Most of the Internet – 1 day course- Douglas House, Belford Road, Edinburgh – 10th MarchRead more…
Calling all UNISON members interested in climate change!
Come to our next Green Network meeting in Glasgow on Saturday 27 February.
Guest speaker Ric Lander, from Friends of the Earth Scotland, will be speaking mainly on pensions disinvestment campaigns, but will be referring also to fracking and other important policy areas.
We will be discussing what is needed now following the UN ParisRead more…
Date: Tuesday 2 February 2016
UNISON Scotland is calling for the Scottish Parliament to use its powers to put more money into local services. By 2020 expenditure on public services will be 12.5% lower in real terms. That is on top of the £2.5bn cuts since 2010.
This next round of cuts will mean at least another 15,000 job cuts for local councils. Of the 50,000 jobs that have been lost inRead more…
Wed 27 Jan 2016
Public services union UNISON has today (Wed 27 January 2016) urged the Scottish Government to push ahead with proposed new financial powers for Scottish councils to relax the rules for borrowing, lending and the repayment of loans. These proposed changes to Scottish councils’ financial powers should now be used for greater flexibility to deal with the funding crisis in ScottishRead more…
Please find below a list of upcoming training courses where we still have availability. For more details of the courses below see http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/education/index.html . Contact your branch to apply for any of these courses.
Organising for Health & Safety (Residential) – Glasgow – Part 1 on 5-7 February & Part 2 on 11-13 March
Covers the role and rights of the safety repRead more…
Date: Friday 22 January 2016
UNISON hails historic pay deal for further education support staff in Scotland
UNISON has led negotiations to achieve the first ever national pay rise for over four thousand support staff in Scotland‘s Further Education Colleges. Support staff deliver a range of vital student services and are key to the running of the 25 new colleges in Scotland.
The deal wasRead more…
UNISON Scotland is supporting the new Stop Climate Chaos Scotland campaign calling on Scotland’s political leaders to turn ambition into action.
2016 is election year in Scotland. And that means our political parties need to tell voters what they intend to do if they are elected.
After the December 2015 climate agreement in Paris, what matters now, across the world, is what actually happens asRead more…
Date: Tuesday 12 January 2016
UNISON local branches across Scotland are calling on Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland, to meet UNISON members to hear about the damage Government policies are having on local government and to discuss the future of local services.UNISON is the biggest trade union in local government and branch secretaries from across Scotland have written to the FirstRead more…
Beat the anti-union bill; Communications Awards 2015; Corbyn and Sturgeon say the bill must go; Celebrate learning; Council cuts campaign mounts as we face ‘worst cuts in living memory’; Tayside health branch wins low pay victory; Cordia janitors ballot; Climate march report; Speak up against police cuts; Save democracy in Turkey; Give your views on social work codes of practice and much moreRead more…