The STUC’s St Andrew’s Day March is an opportunity for the labour movement to look back at what we have achieved in the fight for racial equality here in Scotland.
Through big struggles we’ve…Read more…
Combatting human trafficking – without the unions?
A version of this article appears today on Equal Times, a global news, opinion and campaign website about work, politics, the economy, development and the environment which is supported by the 175…Read more…
ESG – where are the workers?
There’s an interesting PRI report just published on investor engagement on public policy. It is worth a read. But I thought I’d carry out a little experiment to see the relative emphasis put on different issues as measured by mentions.
Here’s the scor…Read more…
Football Supporters’ Federation joins campaign
Our friends at the FSF have now publicly joined the campaign, and hosted this blog on their site. Qatar 2022 has sparked a building frenzy in the world’s richest country with an estimated 1,100…Read more…
SOUTH WEST TRAINS SECTION OF THE RAILWAYS PENSION SCHEME – 2013 ACTUARIAL VALUATION
My Ref: MRP 1/8/24 28th November 2014 Circular Num: NP/254/14To: The Secretary All Branches & Regional Councils Dear Colleagues, SOUTH WEST TRAINS SECTION…Read more…
BREAKDOWN IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS – INTERSERVE WATERLOO
Our Ref: BR1/14/228th November 2014 Dear Colleagues BREAKDOWN IN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS – INTERSERVE WATERLOO First and foremost, I would like to take this opportunity to…Read more…
Article 10: the Right to Freedom of Expression & Whistleblowing
28 November 2014
By Catherine Hobby, Senior Lecturer, School of law and social sciences, University of East London
read moreRead more…
Our Future Free from Racism
The scourge of racism cannot be looked at or dealt with without challenging every assumption that any individual or group wants less, needs less or deserves less than any other. Thus we…Read more…
Cuts dont work
UNISON Scotland’s analysis of the impact of austerity economics on Scotland’s public services is highlighted in a column in today’s Scotsman.
Dave Watson argues that, "Our public debt continues to rise, productivity is low, wages are dropping, inequality is increasing and youth unemployment is high.The idea that our present economic woes are a crisis stemming from out-of-control public financesRead more…
Two Women of Worth
MINNIE LANSBURY on her way to arrest.
The other evening I heard an interesting, indeed inspiring, talk about Minnie Lansbury, who was one of the rebel Labour councillors in the London Borough of…Read more…
Stars in our schools
In schools across the UK, UNISON is promoting the tireless contribution of the 250,000 support staff we are proud representRead more…
Pensions
Pensions are a hot topic for a lot of our members. Here’s the latest info from PCS HQ on what the upcoming changes mean for you. New ‘Alpha’ Civil Service Pension Scheme…Read more…
Mansion tax would affect just four families in every thousand
If you own a £2million home you can afford to pay the Mansion Tax to help save the NHS. As Ed said it’s Pure and Simple.
Amazing that the Tories think its okay to throw poor people out of their homes if they can’t pay the bedroom tax but want rich millionaires to to pay less income and…Read more…
Two cheers for the Smith Commission
The Smith Commission report is an important step forward on the devolution journey, even if many of us who support further devolution will be disappointed over its omissions.
First of all let’s…Read more…
UNISON statement on Smith Commission
“While there are certainly positive elements in these proposals, the package as a whole falls short of our aspirations contained in our submission to the Commission, with particular regard to job creation,
employment regulation, equalities and minimum wage. These are areas required if inequalities in society are to be addressed. We will continue to press for this”, said Mike Kirby, UNISONRead more…
Private school pupils and their continual monopoly on privilege.
Researchers found that ’31 per cent of private school pupils in the 1970 birth cohort obtained a degree from an elite university, compared to 13 per cent from grammar schools, 5 per cent from comprehensives, and 2 per cent from secondary moderns.’ hat tip leftfoot forward
So wealth alone…Read more…
What is a trade union?
Well done to Jamie-Max Caldwell for another excellent video:
Tony Blair / David Brent
Somehow this –
Blair is frustrated that, for many Britons, Iraq effectively disqualifies him from contributing to this debate. He predicts, however, that this will change: ‘At some point … people will come to see that this is indeed a complicated and difficult argument and [that] this is…Read more…
Legislative programme. The good, the bad and the process
The Scottish Government’s legislative programme is the predictable mixed bag. Some positive bits, some prospects of action and some significant disappointments.
The eye catcher was land reform. Not…Read more…
UNISON Scotland statement on First Minister’s programme for Government
Wed 26 Nov 2014
Mike Kirby, Scottish secretary of UNISON, said ‘UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union and we welcome the First Minister’s programme for government. There was much in Nicola Sturgeon’s statement to commend.
We welcome her commitment to protect public services and to increase NHS funding; her commitment to the living wage and to mitigate the problems of welfare reform; andRead more…