Date: Monday 21 December 2015UNISON Scotland has called on councils and Scottish Government to do more to protect school librarians. UNISON says the evidence is that local councils are seeing school library services as a soft target to meet budget cuts and are cutting school library services across Scotland. UNISON has made a submission in support of School Libraries Petition PE 1581 to theRead more…
Simple Minds called to campaign for world cup workers in Qatar
Date: Friday 18 December 2015
UNISON, Scotland’s biggest trade union, has written to the Scottish band Simple Minds asking they speak out for migrant workers rights in Qatar.UNISON supports the TUC Fair Play for Qatar campaign which is highlighting the poor working conditions of migrant workers who are building football stadiums and infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup.Simple Minds areRead more…
UNISON Scotland reaction to ministerial statement on draft 2016/17 budget
Date: Wednesday 16 December 2015
Mike Kirby, UNISON Scottish Regional Secretary said,
‘UNISON Scotland recognises that Tory austerity limits the options available in the Spending Review. However, it is unacceptable that yet again local government is bearing the brunt of cuts. We are now in the 8th year of the council tax freeze that limits how councils can choose to respond to austerity. ThisRead more…
UNISON calls for Robert Gordon University to remove Donald Trump’s honorary degree
Date: Wednesday 9 December 2015
UNISON members working at Robert Gordon University have written to the Principal, Professor Prondzynski, calling on him to remove Donald Trump’s honorary degree because he is reported to have called for "a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States" UNISON believes this to be unacceptable. Colin Jones, Robert Gordon UNISON steward said: “Read more…
New 2016 Course Programme Launched
Following a review of last year’s UNISON Scotland training and a survey of local branch requirements for 2016, the Learning and Organising committee has designed a comprehensive and professional development and training programme to meet the needs and demands of our newly elected stewards, workplace representatives and union activists. See full details and download course programmes here
ThisRead more…
UNISON reaction to DCC Neil Richardson’s statement to Scottish Parliament
UNISON is calling on DCC Neil Richardson to meet with them to discuss his plans for further job cuts after his words at the Justice Committee of 1st December, wherein he stated it would be wrong of him to say there won’t be further reduction in staff.
George McIrvine, UNISON Police Staff Scotland branch secretary said: ”They have no real strategy as to how they are going to achieve this yearsRead more…
People’s Assembly Scotland calls for ‘widespread social movement’ against council cuts
The People’s Assembly Scotland is calling for a widespread campaign to back councillors who abandon ‘austerity denial’, urging them to show ‘political leadership’ in defending local services from Scottish and UK government cuts.
The campaign group, to which UNISON Scotland is affiliated, has issued a pack for unions and community groups with a statement of principles, advice on street stallsRead more…
ICT should focus on providing better services not cuts, says UNISON report
Date: Monday 30 November
2015
A UNISON Scotland report Disconnected,
published today, 30 November 2015, claims that ICT services should focus
on better services. The report highlights that ICT systems are all too
often seen as a way of providing cheaper rather than improved public
services.
This UNISON report is qualitative research ofRead more…
UNISON Scotland e-briefing on Autumn Statement – Osborne forced to abandon savage tax credit cuts
25 Nov 2015
UNISON Scotland e-briefing on Autum Attement online now…
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/briefings/e-briefing_UKAutumnStatement_Nov2015.pdf
"The UK highlights include the abandonment of the savage Tax Credit cuts, following the government’s defeat
in the House of Lords. Higher tax receipts and lower borrowing costs helped meet this cost. However, from
2018 claimants will switchRead more…
Tax credits u-turn will bring huge relief to working families – UNISON
Wed 25 Nov 2015
Nearly three million working families countrywide have breathed a collective sigh of relief, says UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis.Commenting on the announcement today (Wednesday) that the Chancellor is to reverse his planned cuts to tax credits, UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis said:“Nearly three million working families countrywide have breathed a collective sigh ofRead more…
Follow Live Jimmy Reid Lecture by Nicola Sturgeon
Follow Live Jimmy Reid Lecture by Rt. Hon. Nicola Sturgeon MSP First Minister of Scotland
Tonight First Minister of Scotland, Rt. Hon. Nicola Sturgeon MSP, will give the Jimmy Reid Lecture at Bute Hall, University of Glasgow, on the Trade Union Bill. The meeting will be chaired by Grahame Smith, General Secretary, STUC
Jimmy Reid was installed as elected Rector of the University in the ButeRead more…
UN climate talks and cancellation of demonstrations in Paris – Support #ScotClimateMarch #COP21
UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis today urged the highest possible turnout for marches in Edinburgh, London, Cardiff and Belfast next weekend, in solidarity with climate campaigners in Paris and around the world.
The International Trade Union Confederation made the same call. Both were responding to the decision by the French authorities, following the terrorist attacks in Paris, to cancelRead more…
Scotland welcomes refugees – message from International chair and secretary
As a plane of Syrian refugees is about to land in Glasgow today Sam Macartney, Chair of the International Committee and I wanted to tell you about what members of the International Committee heard from Robina Qureshi, Director of Positive Action in Housing on Saturday.
Robina advised us of the links her organisation had made with the Kempson family who live on the island of Lesvos in GreeceRead more…
International newsletter now online
Glenrothes to London – How are our pensions invested? To ensure success for the BDS movement (boycott disinvestment sanctions) against Israel; Sam Macartney urged trade unions and civil rights groups to find out where our pensions are being invested.
UNISON Joint International Seminar, Newcastle Upon Tyne A report by Tony Caleary / Hamid Rasheed
TTIP Commission Recognises ISDS is FundamentallyRead more…
Retired Members’ conference reports
MAC Senior, the newssheet for UNISON Scotland retired members, has six lively pages reporting on the 2015 UK Retired Members’ Conference in Brighton last month.
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/retired/index.htmlRead more…
New Scotland in UNISON now online
Trade union rights are human rights – London lobby report; Equal pay victory for Fife workers; The silent slaughter of jobs and services; FE ballot: Members urged to reject 1% pay offer; New procurement guidance should extend Living Wage; STUC St Andrew’s 28 November; Scotland’s Climate March 28 November; Big increase in assaults on public service workers; Water privatisation ‘ultimate marketRead more…
WOWPetition to assess full impact of all cuts to support & social care for disabled people
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Scottish Parliament Trade Union Bill lobby
UNISON Scotland joined with the STUC at today’s lobby of the Scottish Parliament. There was a rally outside Parliament with speakers from the main political parties. Activists then watched MSPs debate the Bill in the main chamber debate of the day, passing a strong motion opposing the Bill. Ther is more detail in Dave Watson’s blog post. Thanks to the UNISON Scotland branches who supported theRead more…
UNISON calls on Police Scotland to implement all recommendations in HMICS Call Handling Final Report
Tue 10 November 2015
UNISON has welcomed the HMICS Independent Assurance Review: Police Scotland – Call Handling Final Report published today (10 Nov) and calls on Police Scotland to implement all its recommendations.
HMICS has taken into account the high level of pressure that UNISON police staff members work under in the Contact, Command and Control (C3) division of Police Scotland. WeRead more…
Some free bus places for Paris climate demo for members nominated by their branch
UNISON Scotland has a small number of free bus places for the Paris climate rally on 12 December. Please spread the word to interested members.
The Paris event follows key marches in Scotland on Saturday 28 November – the Climate March in Edinburgh, for Climate, Justice and Jobs, and the STUC’s annual St Andrew’s Day march against racism, with its theme this year of Refugees Welcome Here.Read more…