The Tory recipe to improve cancer services has resulted in lost momentum and their health reforms have created confusion and fragmentation. Waiting times for treatment hit the lowest point…Read more…
Call to challenge gender equality in apprenticeships
#stuc15 The STUC will press the Scottish government to work with them to tackle gender inequality in apprenticeships and to encourage women to take on apprenticeships in under-represented sectors.
Grahame Smith, STUC General Secretary also committed to taking up incidents of abuse in the apprenticeship sector in his capacity as a board member of Skills Development Scotland.
Seconding theRead more…
End 1 in 5 children living in poverty in Scotland
#stuc15 is appalled that 100,000 children live in poverty in Scotland and called on both the UK and Scottish Governments to adopt polices that will tackle the scourge the of child poverty across Scotland.
The STUC called for a review of the benefit system to ensure that it acts as a genuine safety net against poverty; and a wider provision of good quality, affordable childcare to improveRead more…
Tackling poverty to tackle education inequalities
#stuc15 Poverty affects the education and life chances of our children, and delegates condemned the disgrace of one in five Scottish children living in poverty and will campaign for additional resources to tackle educational inequalities, for the full implementation of the Scottish Government’s Child Poverty Strategy and for better training for teachers and other school staff on the effects ofRead more…
Scandal of epic dimensions
If you read the statistic that Britain is the sixth richest country in the world, you’d assume that it’s a nation virtually free of certain social and economic ills, such as poverty and disease,…Read more…
Public servants, don’t hold your breath on that pay rise with Nick Clegg
A last minute Liberal Democrat pledge to end pay cuts for public sector workers? It’s as transparent as it is pathetic
Do public servants need a pay rise? Yes. Do they trust Nick Clegg and the…Read more…
Public servants, don’t hold your breath on that pay rise with Nick Clegg
A last minute Liberal Democrat pledge to end pay cuts for public sector workers? It’s as transparent as it is pathetic
Do public servants need a pay rise? Yes. Do they trust Nick Clegg and the…Read more…
STUC call on University governors to reflect diversity of staff
#stuc15 The STUC has called on Scottish Government to legislate for all university governing bodies to have a chair elected by all staff and students, ensure they are representative of the university and wider community – including a quota for women members; and include reserved places for trade union representatives.
UNISON Scotland’s Davena Rankin backing the University and College UnionRead more…
Attempt to take over transport police is another ‘polishambles’
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…
1,084,604: Britain’s shameful new foodbank statistic mapped
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…
8m voices sign up to be heard
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…
Saying goodbye to Checkoff
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.”
“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…
House building and living rent to fix housing crisis
#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…
How Ukip would run NHS
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…
Unions uncover “stealth” cuts to NHS
TUC and UNISON say facts make a mockery of Tory claims to be protecting health service spendingRead more…
Return power to local councils to act on services
#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…
Call to improve access to GPs
#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…
Pay success needs unions to work together
#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…
Fox’s Biscuits strike called off
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…