No decisions till UNISON service groups meet 10 January: STUC unions to meet in January. See website links for latest briefings:
19 Dec: Health pensions - UNISON response http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=2556
19 Dec: Local Govt briefing (England and Wales) No change before 2014 http://www.unison.org.uk/acrobat/LGPS_PoP_Campaign8.pdf
Dec 2011: Scottish pensions Bulletin No 28 - December 2011 http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/pensions/scotpensionsbulletin28_dec11.pdf
UNISON. Scotland's biggest and liveliest trade union, representing members delivering public and related services.
Showing posts with label 30 November. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 30 November. Show all posts
Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Thursday, 1 December 2011
Strike pics from Dumfries, Stirling, Glasgow Life, GHA & Argyll & Bute
Inverness Courier on strike rally and Danny Alexander 'robbery'
DEAFENING cheers and the sound of claxons reverberated throughout the Mercure Hotel in Inverness this afternoon as hundreds of public sector workers gathered at a rally to make a stance against proposed changes to public sector pensions.
Before the rally, workers, holding placards and banners, marched to the hotel past MP Danny Alexander’s office in Huntly Street just before noon where one striker, dressed as ‘Danny the Robber’, mockingly ran away from the workers holding a pensions 'swag bag'.
Over 300 hundred workers packed the hotel at noon to listen to hard hitting speeches from different trade union representatives.
Etta MacKay, a midwife at Raigmore Hospital and a member of UNISON, gave a heart felt speech which received a standing ovation.
Full story from Inverness Courier here
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Highland News: Inverness strikers vent fury at "robber" MP Alexander
ANGRY strikers in Inverness vented their fury at local MP Danny Alexander over pension changes as public services were crippled in the national day of action by trade unions.
Picket lines formed outside many buildings in the city and were visited by a character named "Danny the Robber".
Dressed in comic book burglar gear and carrying a "swag bag" of stolen pension cash, the character had a face mask of Mr Alexander and was the centre of ridicule and hostility.
The Inverness MP is the Chancellor’s right-hand man as Chief Secretary to the Treasury and was viewed by picketing public sector workers as the architect of the controversial plans which sparked the national strike.
Full story from Highland News here
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Shetland Times: Strike action wins strong support in Shetland and disrupts public services #unisonscotN30 #N30
Dozens of public sector workers in Shetland braved torrential rain and cold winds this morning to march in protest against UK government cuts to their pension schemes.
Around 70 members of trade unions including Unison local government and health branches and the GMB marched from the shopping centre at Toll Clock to the Market Cross under dark winter morning skies.
Hundreds of workers took part in the strike action, which caused widespread disruption to public services within Shetland Islands Council and NHS Shetland. Most schools were shut for the day and inter-island ferries were shut down, though the NHS stressed it had maintained “adequate” emergency provision.
Full Shetland Times report here
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Around 70 members of trade unions including Unison local government and health branches and the GMB marched from the shopping centre at Toll Clock to the Market Cross under dark winter morning skies.
Hundreds of workers took part in the strike action, which caused widespread disruption to public services within Shetland Islands Council and NHS Shetland. Most schools were shut for the day and inter-island ferries were shut down, though the NHS stressed it had maintained “adequate” emergency provision.
Full Shetland Times report here
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Fantastic rally in Aberdeen for pensions justice
Over 2000 folk gathered in the Castlegate for a fantastic rally in Aberdeen today. #unisonscotn30 They were there to show huge anger at attacks on pensions and determination to fight for pensions justice for all. Congratulations to our union colleagues around the country for a fantastic show!
Kate Ramsden, Aberdeenshire UNISON http://www.aberdeenshireunison.com/index.html
Kate Ramsden, Aberdeenshire UNISON http://www.aberdeenshireunison.com/index.html
Teamster offer support
Teamsters and members of the national nurses union are today showing solidarity with our members with a demonstration outside the Briish Consulate in Washington today
Dave Prentis: Today history has been made by millions of ordinary men and women #unisonscotN30 #N30
He said that the millions taking part in today's action - mostly women, many first time strikers and tens of thousands of young people newly drawn into the union movement - were "the people against the powerful" who should take courage from today's success.
He added: "Today, history has been made - not by politicians - not by bankers and business leaders, but by the millions of ordinary men and women - few of them militants or hardened activists, many thousands who have never taken industrial action before, who, with courage and quiet resolve have said: ‘enough is enough’.
“They are decent men and women, who on any other day of the year are working tirelessly for this country; dedicated – devoted – to the people, the families, the communities they serve; ensuring we are safe, healthy, our children educated, our future protected. Little noticed, rarely thanked, often maligned, taken for granted.
“But today, for one day you’ll see them: the people we rely on for so much, gathering outside every school, every hospital, every library or public office, lining the high streets and filling in town squares - making their stand, with bravery and dignity."
Dave told the striking workers that instead of putting bankers in charge of whole countries, as in Greece and Italy, we should be putting the people in charge of the banks.
He said: "The stand we are making today is part of a wider awakening as people around the world demand an alternative to more cuts, more job losses, more poverty and austerity, enforced with a blatant denial of democracy.
"It’s the people against the powerful, the 99 per cent against the one per cent, the millions against the millionaires - and we know which side we are on."
Dave's full speech is here
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Evening Times: Picket Line Scotland - 300,000 join pension strike #unisonscotN30 #N30
Glasgow's Evening Times today reported on "Picket Line Scotland".
AROUND 300,000 public sector workers in Scotland went on the picket line today in the biggest strike for more than 30 years.
Across Glasgow and west Scotland schools, hospitals, courts, transport and Government offices were hit by closures and cancelled services.
Picket lines had been mounted outside schools, hospitals, JobCentres, courts and other buildings, while more than 1000 rallies and other demonstrations were held across the UK in a row over proposed pension reforms
Full report here
Across Glasgow and west Scotland schools, hospitals, courts, transport and Government offices were hit by closures and cancelled services.
Picket lines had been mounted outside schools, hospitals, JobCentres, courts and other buildings, while more than 1000 rallies and other demonstrations were held across the UK in a row over proposed pension reforms
Full report here
Bick: You have a legal right and moral duty to stand up to bullies
Marchers were still coming down the Royal Mile as the rally began and they cheered in their thousands when Rodney told them, “Thousands and thousands are out today and we’ll do it again and again if and when necessary.”
Rodney, president of the National Pensioners Convention and ex UNISON general secretary, rounded on the hypocrisy of the ‘millionaire’ cabinet. “They rightly stand and show respect for dead at the Cenotaph for one day. But they go on to show disrespect for the living for 365 days”, he said.
We rightly mourn the death of thousands in the World Trade centre “but when 25,000 old people die every year from winter related illness, nobody sheds a single tear”.
The hypocrisy that says we have to pay the price when it was “they and their city friends who caused all this mess in the fist place”.
Rodney challenge government accusations that public service workers were ‘uncaring’. “Who was it out in the fog that night on the motorway pulling bits out of the tarmac? Who is it that wipes the noses and bottoms day in day out? Not them. They wouldn’t know what caring was if it sat on them!”
“Uncaring? They’re the ones closing the hospitals, throwing people out of jobs, cut, cut cutting.
He tore into the attempts to create a public-private divide on pensions. “It’s like saying that because one person has had their leg cut off, it is only fair that everyone gets a leg cut off”.
“You’ll need two legs if you’re going to beat the b****** - and that’s what we’re going to do!” said Rodney as the rally erupted.
“The government call us unpatriotic because 2.5 million of us are out on strike. What about the 2.5 million unemployed they’ve created – lost days every day of every year. Who is it who’s not patriotic?
And to those who crossed our picket lines today out of so-called ‘principle’, he asked, “Will they show the same principle and say ‘we don’t want that pension you have won for us because we didn’t stand up and fight for it?’”
Mike Kirby: Our solid strike with great public support shows government must stop great pensions robbery
UNISON's Scottish Secretary Mike Kirby told the rally in Glasgow that today's strike is being led by women who won't be fooled by government ministers.
He said that the real pensions crisis is in the private sector, where two thirds of employers don't pay a single penny towards their workers' pensions.
Mike said: "It could cost this country up to £15 billion to support the millions of private sector workers who have been locked out of saving for their retirement."
He added: "Never before have so many public service workers and so many women taken action. We know that today's strike is being led by women - 3.7 million could be affected by the plans to make detrimental changes to pensions.
"And they won't be fooled by government ministers' claims that their justified action will hit jobs.
"They know the real reasons that the dole queues are growing are the disastrous choices the government is making.
"The critics of today, the bonus billionaires and Tory Cabinet millionaires know nothing of the value of public services, where we care for elderly and infirm people, we teach children, empty bins and save lives."
See full news release here
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He said that the real pensions crisis is in the private sector, where two thirds of employers don't pay a single penny towards their workers' pensions.
Mike said: "It could cost this country up to £15 billion to support the millions of private sector workers who have been locked out of saving for their retirement."
He added: "Never before have so many public service workers and so many women taken action. We know that today's strike is being led by women - 3.7 million could be affected by the plans to make detrimental changes to pensions.
"And they won't be fooled by government ministers' claims that their justified action will hit jobs.
"They know the real reasons that the dole queues are growing are the disastrous choices the government is making.
"The critics of today, the bonus billionaires and Tory Cabinet millionaires know nothing of the value of public services, where we care for elderly and infirm people, we teach children, empty bins and save lives."
See full news release here
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Message of support to UNISON from Impact union in Ireland
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| Peter Nolan |
Today is a crucial day for workers in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the UK.
It is also an important day internationally as trade unionists and governments throughout Europe and the world look to see Unison’s one million plus members take a stand to defend their pensions.
Message sent to Scottish Secretary Mike Kirby from Peter Nolan, National Secretary, IMPACT Municipal Employees Division
STV: Public sector workers strike across Scotland
Video includes Mike Kirby, UNISON Scottish Secretary
Full report here
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BBC: Striking staff march on Holyrood
Thousands of striking public sector workers have marched outside the Scottish Parliament, in protest at UK government pension changes. Full report here
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