All the union news that's fit to blog...
#STUC16 The STUC will seek talks with Scottish Universities Support Palestinian Students (SUSPS) with a view to giving active support to a revised initiative and encourage unions to back the project financially and in any other ways possible.
The Edinburgh TUC motion reminded delegates that last year’s Congress in Ayr gave a generous welcome to the first recipient of a SUSPS award who is fromRead more…
7.30 pm Thursday 21 April White Horse bar, 266 Canongate, Edinburgh EH8 8AA with Lilian Macer, Convenor of UNISON Scottish Council reporting on her visit to the country and her meetings with trade unionists, human rights activists, politicians and the mothers of young victims of extrajudicial killings by the army. She will also report on the peace process between the Colombian government andRead more…
#STUC16 The STUC backed the TIE (Time for Inclusive Education) campaign which is committed to inclusive education which aims to tackle homophobia and create a safer learning environment for all regardless of sexual orientation, gender or identity.
UNISON Scotland has already donated £1000 such is the importance we attach to this campaign, and UNISON’s Willie Docherty spoke in support.
To theRead more…
Today we’re launching a new campaign – “Making Waves for the Living Wage” calling on all UK the water industry to sign up as accredited Living Wage employers with the Living Wage Foundation.
The…Read more…
The STUC has renewed its call for Trident replacement to be abandoned and will revisit setting up Trade Union CND, focussing on job diversification for workers employed on Trident.
In a debate…Read more…
#STUC2016 UNISON’s Pat Rowland urged delegates to get involved in the campaign against ‘dodgy trade deals’ like TTIP that could stop governments bringing privatised services back in-house.
And she called on trade unionists to join the Scotland Against TTIP coalition day of action on Saturday 23 April at the Buchanan Street steps in Glasgow.
The STUC backed a UNISON motion to campaign forRead more…
Our delegates: Amy, Melita and Ollie
Ollie presents our motion to conference
Our motion on doing more to retrain redundant journalists was carried, despite an intervention by General Secretary…Read more…
#STUC16 The STUC gave unanimous backing to an emergency motion supporting the Glasgow UNISON #Justice4Jannies campaign as they began their three-day strike for parity of conditions with other like-workers.
The jannies packed the gallery as delegates stood to applaud them. The full text of the motion is…
“That this Congress congratulates UNISON members who are janitors in Glasgow’s primary,Read more…
#STUC16 The STUC has renewed its call for Trident replacement to be abandoned and will revisit setting up Trade Union CND, focussing on job diversification for workers employed on Trident.
It rejected a GMB motion calling for Trident replacement as the ‘only game in town’ to defend jobs.
In a rousing speech, supporting a Clydebank TUC motion, UNISON’s Jane Carolan told delegates: “UNISON hasRead more…
Commenting on the news that 700 British Gas jobs are to go in the West Midlands, with the closure of the Oldbury service/call centre near Birmingham, UNISON national energy officer Matt Lay said:…Read more…
This morning’s labour market release told a similar story to what we’ve seen previously: insipid wage growth and slowly rising employment. Yet some commentators have assigned a special weight to today’s figures, take this piece in the Evening Standard on Monday for example. This is because that…Read more…
#STUC16 TUC president Liz Snape called for the STUC and TUC to continue to work together ‘to protect our future and fight for our people’ as she addressed Congress this morning.
Liz, who is also a UNISON depute general secretary, said: “Congress, be in no doubt our fortunes and our future will rise or fall as one. And it falls to us – to our generation – to protect our future and fight for ourRead more…
‘Now at least UNISON can concentrate on campaigning to protect public sector employees at work and the services they deliver’
The article Government withdraws plan to stop check-off for subs payment…Read more…
#STUC16 The STUC is to launch a campaign promoting the employment rights the EU has delivered for working people and will oppose attempts to ‘water down the benefits of a Social Europe.’
It also rejected calls to campaign to leave the EU.
Backing the USDAW motion, UNISON NEC member Gordon McKay explained why the union’s leadership had decided to campaign in the referendum to stay in the EURead more…
On 27 April MPs vote on the final Trade Union Bill and decide whether to accept amendments made by Peers.Read more…
Collage is from my last 3 canvassing sessions in West Ham ward, Stratford and Forest Gate North. Our MP Lyn Brown joined us at Stratford. A positive response for Labour and Sadiq as you might expect but also for remaining in the EU (when we remember to…Read more…
https://www.unison.org.uk/news/press-release/2016/04/unison-welcomes-government-change-of-heart-over-check-off/
Although (of course) I am not in the front rank of those who will praise UNISON’s leadership (albeit I am consistently clear that our General Secretary has done no wrong – and that I am…Read more…
This is a change that wasn’t in the interest of public service workers, employers or those who rely upon the services they provide. I’m glad that the government have seen sense at this late…Read more…
We’re nearing the end of the parliamentary process of the controversial Trade Union Bill. It has been a bruising experience for the government, lasting longer than they had hoped, and with a successions of embarrassments, defeats and concessions along the way. Much is still up for grabs, but…Read more…
#STUC16 The STUC will campaign for the new Scottish Government to provide colleges with sufficient funding to return to meeting the full range of educational needs in their local communities.
It will also call for the protection of, or improvement in, the terms and conditions of college staff.
UNISON’s James Corry, backing the Fife TUC motion, asked Congress to celebrate the recent lecturers’Read more…