Scottish Labour Party conference

The Autumn Scottish political party conference season ends with the Scottish Labour Party in Perth.

The format for UNISON is different from other party conferences because through UNISON Labour Link we are an affiliated organisation and therefore have a delegation as well as the usual stall and fringe meetings. We can and do put motions on the agenda and participate in debates. The job of UNISON Labour Link is to take UNISON policy into the Scottish Labour Party.

Our fringe meeting on Friday was on 'Tackling Inequality' with our campaign partners CPAG Scotland, SHA Scotland and the Poverty Alliance. It was an opportunity to showcase the radical report of the Commission on Health Inequalities that UNISON supported.

Another Commission UNISON supported was on social care that makes the case for UNISON's Ethical Care Charter and much else. On Saturday, Scottish Labour Leader Kezia Dugdale referenced this report and gave a commitment that under Scottish Labour every care worker will be paid the Scottish Living Wage.

George McIrvine from our Police Scotland branch welcomed support from North-East constituencies for UNISON's campaign on control room closures. Replacing trained civilian staff with police officers makes absolutely no sense.

Another contribution in the health debate came from UNISON's Angela Feeney who also received the Keir Hardie Award for her work in the community campaign From Wishaw to Calais.

Sunday was billed as Member's Sunday when the issues to be debated were decided by a priority ballot. We were pleased that the Trade Union Bill, TTIP, Trident and housing were chosen. UNISON's priorities shared by all parts of the movement. UNISON's motion on the Trade Union Bill was moved by Gordon McKay who described the Bill as a vindictive attack on working people.

Overall, conference agreed a number of policies that closely mirror UNISON positions on policing, health, social care, TTIP, Trident replacement and of course the Trade Union Bill.

 

Community led public services can transform inequalities, says report

Thursday 22 October 2015

UNISON Labour Link Media Release - Launch of Commission on Health Inequalities report will take place at 22 October, 9.00am UNISON Scotland, 14 West Campbell St., Glasgow

The report of the Commission on Health Inequalities for the Scottish Labour Party calls for national leadership and community hubs to tackle health inequalities.

The Commission for Health Inequalities set up by Labour’s then shadow health minister, Neil Findlay MSP, has published its report today (22 October 2015) calling on the Labour Party to adopt radical policies to tackle Scotland’s enduring policy failure of health inequalities. The commission report calls on Labour Party to adopt a transformative agenda if it wants to change political priorities of the Scottish Parliament on this issue.

The report aims to prioritise this agenda across government. It proposes a breadth of policies to tackle health inequalities in Scotland.

Key policy recommendations include building of community hubs, with local multi disciplinary teams that join up services in real localities and which would also serve as community meeting places, where communities are free to set their own agenda. They would include various public services based under the same roof including social work, housing, health and leisure services such as community cafes. With advice shops that offer amongst other things debt, welfare and income maximisation advice. (Para 3.6 of report). These are the type of services envisaged by Christie, who recommended services designed from the bottom up with citizens at their heart, with a high degree of professional autonomy for front line teams.

It recommends the adoption of a progressive universalism approach whereby important basic universal services are targetted and tailored in proportion to community needs.

And it recommends the introduction of health inequality impact assessments for every policy devised by public bodies in Scotland. In other words anything that the Government and every other body do must always take cognisance of its impact on health inequalities. This would ensure that the Scottish Government would take a cross portfolio approach. (para 3.3 in report)

Other policy recommendations include free childcare, an end to the council tax freeze, using the Scottish Parliament new welfare powers and using procurement to end low pay and poor employment practices
Dr David Conway, Chair of the Health Inequalities Commission said, “Health inequalities are the manifestation of inequalities in income, wealth, and power. They result in upto 30 years difference in life expectancy between those born in the richest and poorest neighbourhoods.

There have been many reports on Scottish health inequalities over the years. This commission report is different because it is firmly focussed on what we can and must do in Scotland to tackle this enduring problem. It is a national shame that we have some of the worst health inequalities in the developed world.  We need to debunk the myth that there are no devolved powers available to take on this huge challenge and get on and do something about it. The commission recommendations come from a wide consultation with experts working in communities, the health service, local government, and trade unions; as well as from community engagement events.

The testimonies we heard from people working heroically in their communities painted a graphic picture of the miserable reality of poverty and inequality and the inadequate policy and resources we put into tackling health inequalities in Scotland.

If we are ever going to solve this issue we are going to have to fundamentally change our political priorities and choices taken in the Scottish Parliament”

A full list of the policy recommendations are in the report, some are repeated in the notes below.

ENDS


Notes 
Commission on Health Inequalities Report  for the Labour Party in Scotland was commissioned by Neil Findlay MSP when he was shadow minister for health. It is supported by Socialist Health Association.
The document also calls for a range of policies to tackle low pay and poor working conditions including:

• Agency workers given parity with full-time employees.
• To use procurement to ensure better pay and conditions protection for workers including paying the workforce at least the living wage,  to incorporate the value of lost tax credits in peoples low pay, and to end zero hours contracts and blacklisting trade unionists.
•  Ensure the ‘Scottish Real Living Wage’ is paid in the Social Care sector.
•  Encourage collective bargaining processes.
• Ensure all Fair Work Convention recommendations are implemented.
• Establish a Scottish Health & Safety Executive.
• Raise the levels of Social Security payments to a level conducive to the minimum income for healthy living.
• Abolish the cruel sanctions regime.
• Review all employment and welfare policies devolved in the Scotland Bill and ensure that they are used to maximum potential to reduce health inequalities.

It also calls for Scottish Parliament to:

• Lift the council tax freeze. Reform the regressive Council Tax and consider options for fairer local taxation.
• Build a minimum of 10,000 new social houses each year. Transform the quality and quantity of social housing across Scotland.
• Introduce better regulation of private rented sector including effective rent controls and consider extending the Housing Quality Standards to the Private Sector.
• Provide free childcare at the point of use and extend breakfast clubs and free healthy meals to nursery schools.
• Ensure schools strive to develop social, emotional, health and wellbeing agendas as a foundation for learning.
• Reverse Cuts and boost spending at Further Education colleges.
• Tackle the Mental Health Crisis in Scotland - We strongly recommend that mental health services are prioritised and invested in as a matter of urgency
• Create national targets for reducing health inequalities.
• Create a Cross-portfolio Cabinet Secretary for Health Equity.

UNISON supports Jeremy Corbyn in UK Labour leadership election

Wed 29 July 2015

UNISON has decided to nominate Jeremy Corbyn in the Labour Party leadership contest and Yvette Cooper as its second choice at the union’s National Labour Link committee today (Wednesday).

UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis said:

“Jeremy Corbyn’s message has resonated with public sector workers who have suffered years of pay freezes, redundancies with too many having to work more for less.

“They have been penalised for too long by a government that keeps on taking more and more from them. Their choice shows a clear need for change towards a fairer society where work is fairly rewarded, and where those living and working in poverty supported.

“Today’s decision is a recommendation and our members are of course free to cast their vote as to who they think should lead the Labour Party.”

Notes to editors

UNISON represents 1.3 million workers in the UK.
430,000 have actively opted-in to the union’s political fund.
In the region of 28,000 UNISON members are members of the Labour Party in their own right. And around 15,000 are registered to vote in the leadership contest.

The union’s National Labour Link Committee has 23 elected members from across the UK. The decision was taken following a thorough consultation with all the regions.

UNISON Labour Link backs Dugdale and Rowley for Scottish Labour leadership

UNISON Labour Link, the affiliated section of Scotland’s largest trade union, has given its backing to Kezia Dugdale MSP in the contest for the next Scottish Labour leader and Alex Rowley MSP for Deputy Leader.

UNISON Scotland Labour Link Chair Gordon McKay said: “With the election of a majority Tory UK government UNISON members need a strong Scottish Labour Party more than ever. However, Scottish Labour needs to change direction, start listening to its friends and pursue policies that will win the support of working people. The old politics simply won’t do. We believe they will make a good team. Kezia will provide energetic leadership and Alex offers experience and commitment. They have both shown they are prepared to take Scottish Labour out of its comfort zone.”

Statement by UNISON Scotland Labour Link on Scottish Labour Leader, Jim Murphy

Tuesday 12 May 2015

"The scale of Scottish Labour’s defeat in the General Election result last Thursday indicates the need for a radical change in approach. The problems of Scottish Labour long pre-date this election and the current leadership.

"It is unprecedented for a party leader not to stand down after such a defeat, particularly when he loses his own seat. The campaign may have been energetic, but it lacked focus and clearly voters do not regard Jim Murphy as a credible messenger of Scottish Labour values.

"Scottish Labour has a limited period of time to reorganise itself to provide a credible challenge in the Scottish Parliament elections next year. There is very little time for a new leader to take the necessary actions, which require more than simply a change of leadership. Against that is the risk of further damage being done in next year’s election if no change takes place.

"The current leader was elected fairly recently by a clear majority of members. However a majority of UNISON Labour Link members did not share that view. Given that, we do not believe it is UNISON’s place to initiate a change in leadership. However, if there is a wider movement proposing change UNISON Labour Link would not oppose it."

UNISON Scotland Labour Link Committee

UNISON Labour Link Scotland backs Katy Clark MP for Scottish Labour Deputy Leader

UNISON, Scotland’s largesttrade union, has given its backing to Katy Clark MP in the contest for the nextScottish Labour Deputy leader.

UNISONScotland Labour Link Chair Gordon McKay said:

"KatyClark has a great record of campaigning on the issues that matter to UNISONmembers in Scotland. On public services, employment rights, pensions, inequalityand many other concerns."

"Herviews have remained consistent with Labour’s traditions and values and that isvital if Scottish Labour is to build its support in Scotland. Katy has shownbefore and after becoming an MP that she is on the side of working people."

Responding today to the announcement that UNISON Scotland Labour Link has decided to support her campaign for Deputy Leader of the Scottish Labour Party, Katy Clark said,

 

"I warmly welcome this decision and the fact that thousands of trade unionists will be participating in this election which is a real opportunity for the leadership and deputy leadership candidates to engage with the thousands of trade unionists up and down the country who will have a vote on who leads Scottish Labour. Trade union members and Labour Party members have a shared agenda of wanting a Scottish Labour Party which fights to defend and improve public services and living standards. Scottish Labour needs to listen to what trade union members are saying. I hope that this contest will see a genuine debate as to how we can build stronger links between Scottish Labour and the trade union movement and trade union members."

UNISON Scotland Labour Link backs Neil Findlay for Scottish Labour Leader

UNISON, Scotland’s largest trade union, has given its backing to Neil Findlay MSP in the contest for the next Scottish Labour leader. This followed a hustings event in Glasgow today (1 November 2014) at the UNISON annual Labour Link Forum.

Members were impressed by the analysis from both Sarah Boyack and Neil Findlay of the challenges facing Scottish Labour and need for a new approach.

UNISON Scotland Labour Link Chair Gordon McKay said:

“Members have been hugely impressed with Neil Findlay since he became an MSP and in particular as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing. Neil understands that politics as usual isn’t good enough and we believe he offers a fresh approach with a real experience and understanding of the concerns of working people”.

“At today’s meeting Neil Findlay outlined a radical new policy approach that will be welcomed by our members.”

 

ENDS Note for editors:

Labour Link is UNISON’s affiliated political fund.

For further information please contact:

Dave Watson, UNISON Scottish Organiser, on 07958 122409

 

The Labour party and trade union link

Dave Prentis blogs: UNISON has always given its members the choice of opting in to its affiliated political fund, that gives them a say in the democratic processes of the Labour Party, or of opting in to the General Political Fund, independent of any political party. Our processes are democratic and transparent. UNISON has never operated the arrangement whereby we pay Labour Party membership fees for new members.

'Inexcusable that public sector workers should take more pay freezes and pay cuts' UNISON tells Scottish Labour

Sunday 4 March 2012
Speech to Scottish Labour Party Conference by UNISON delegate Gordon McKay, moving resolution condemning public sector pay freezes and pay cuts:

There are times when the people of Scotland just don't realise how much the Tories and their multimillionaire friends are suffering. Sir Fred Goodwin and he will always be Sir Fred to me - you can take his knighthood but you can't take his bonus - Sir Fred is now reduced to scraping by on his last year bonus from RBS of £2.6 million, his £2.8 million lump sum pension and his yearly pension of £342,000. 

And how can we humiliate Stephen Hester the current CEO of RBS by offering only £963,000? One of his banker colleagues summed it up when he said: "Why on earth would someone do this job if that is all the bonus that you give them?"

So with all this hardship that the Tories business friends are suffering, what have public service workers got to complain about?

24,000 public sector jobs in Scotland wiped out by the Tories and the SNP in 12 months. The jobs of those who care for our children, our elderly our vulnerable.

A two year pay freeze and more to follow for those who have given a lifetime of service to their communities. A 9% pay cut in real terms in two years.

Ed Miliband was spot on on Friday when he reminded us that public sector wages are today at the level they were ten years ago. That just makes it all the more inexcusable when both he and Ed Balls said that public sector workers should take more pay freezes and indeed pay cuts.

Public sector workers are struggling to hold society together and trying to keep their own families together. And when they needed the UK Labour Party and asked for Labour to protect them people who had worked and voted for Labour all their lives Ed Miliband and Ed Balls walked away from them.

A consensus with the Tories on austerity, on attacking public sector workers will not work.

It didn't in the 1930s and it won't today. We heard yesterday from one delegate how we lost in 2011 because we hadn't listened to the business community. We still hear it from some who should know better "we need to cut but just not as far and not as fast." Comrades, that way will sleepwalk us to separation and a review of the party entitled 'Where did it all go wrong?"

Scottish Labour needs to come out with a vision of fairness and social justice. We will not blame public sector workers for the greed of bankers. Scottish Labour must work with the trade unions on fair pay and that not mean a pay freeze.

And on pensions we were grateful for the support on Nov 30 but UNISON members will be on strike as from March 13 in the NHS defending our pensions. We expect the same support from the Labour leadership today as we had then. We are sure that the fact there is now no leadership election will not affect that support in any way.

And a word for Nicola Sturgeon. It's decision time Nicola. Are you on the side of the Tories and their business friends, on low paid NHS workers? If you are willing to sit down with us and talk meaningfully about a Scottish solution to these unfair contribution rises to pensions, then UNISON will call off its industrial action. If not - be assured that our members will know what an independent Scotland would look like.

Conference, we don't need to say "shame on the Tories" because everyone knows they hate public services, despise public service workers and treat those who rely on public services with contempt. That is why no-one votes for them.

We do say that Scotland deserves better than the SNP. They implement budget cuts proposed by the Tories, pay freezes proposed by the Tories, pension cuts proposed by the Tories and job cuts proposed by the Tories.

Their sole rejoinder: "It's nothing to do with us".

Frankly it is pitiful. You are the government of Scotland. Start taking some reponsibility, rather than crying "a big boy did it and ran away".

If you implement a cut you are responsible for the cut.

We have elections in two months time and a separation referendum coming. We need to get our policies, right.

Scottish Labour - proud to be Scottish, on the side of families and communities, on the side of fairness and decency. Not a bad slogan.




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UNISON backs Johann Lamont and Ian Davidson in Scottish Labour Leader Election

Following a hustings meeting involving all Scottish Labour Leader and Deputy Leader candidates UNISON Scotland has endorsed Johann Lamont and Ian Davidson in the election to be Leader and Deputy Leader of Scottish Labour.

The decision was taken after a meeting of UNISON’s Labour Link forum which included a hustings addressed by all of the candidates.

UNISON is one of Labour's largest affiliates - with political levy paying members who will cast individual votes in the election.  

Speaking after the event, Gordon McKay, a nurse from Ayrshire and Chair of Scottish UNISON Labour Link Scotland said;

 “We had the opportunity to hear from and question all of the candidates. Whilst all performed well,  we felt that it was Johann and Ian  who showed the best grasp of the issues facing ordinary people at this time and who will be best able to advance the Labour agenda of a fairer and more equal Scotland”

UNISON call commits Labour to defending public services

Saturday 30 October 2010

UNISON today called on Labour to focus on protecting public services and to build a nationwide campaign to defend vital services.

The union – which represents more than 160,000 members providing public services across Scotland – received huge support for its contemporary motion which was debated at the Scottish Labour Party Conference in Oban today.

The motion called on Labour to build a robust campaign in defence of public services and to urge public bodies, particularly local authorities, to publish full details of the impact the cuts will have on local services and local economies. It also highlights the importance of public investment and expenditure in sustaining employment and demand, as well as providing essential help and support to those struggling with redundancies, reduced incomes, repossessions and rising joblessness.

Dave Watson, UNISON’s Scottish Organiser, said:

 “Labour has today committed to defending public services and to fighting the coalition’s cuts agenda. The scale of the threat to jobs and services cannot be understated and public services must be seen as part of the solution to our economic difficulties, not part of the problem”

Gordon McKay, Chair of UNISON Labour Link Scotland, said:

“Today Labour has shown that it is on the side of the people. The party is now committed to resisting the austerity agenda dreamt up by the Con Dems after their friends in the city had wrecked the economy. Alternative budgets and economic impact assessments will play a crucial role in publicising the damage that is being done to services.”




ends

For more information on UNISON’s alternatives to the cuts go to www.unison-scotland.org.uk/publicworks

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UNISON backs Ed Miliband for Labour leadership

Date: 21 July 2010

UNISON’s national political committee today gave Ed Miliband its backing in the forthcoming ballot for Labour leadership.

The decision was taken after consultation throughout the affiliated members of the union. Hustings at UNISON’s national political conference, attended by 200 UNISON Labour Party members representing the regions, were held in early July. All the candidates were present and the hustings were broadcast over the union’s website.

There will be an OMOV ballot of UNISON’s affiliated members, conducted by the Electoral Reform Society. Affiliated trade unions make up one-third of the electoral college. The ballot closes on 22 September.

ends


See Ed Miliband leadership campaign page on UK Labour Party site:
http://www2.labour.org.uk/leadership-Ed-Miliband/
 
 
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