April Scotland in UNISON now online

Ten ways to strengthen Scotland’s services: Manifesto for the Scottish election

‘We want to see a Parliament using the powers at its disposal in order to enhance our public services to create a fairer and sustainable Scotland,’ Mike Kirby, Scottish Secretary and Lilian Macer, Scottish Convener;
– Full rundown on UNISON Scotland’s manifesto,
– Defend the principles that underlie public services,
– UNISON wins landmark pay deal for low paid NHS workers
– Scotland must recognise the poor state of social work
– Events around Scotland for Workers’ Memorial Day
– MayDay: Marches, rallies and a Glasgow festival
– Framework sets out vision for fair work in Scotland
– Showing racism the red card
– Getting UNISON’s message across in the media
– Did you know there’s a Disabled Members Committee in Scotland?
– Highland action against Anti-Union Bill
– Be Aware mental health campaign
and much more - click here to see on website - click here for a pdf

UNISON Scotland at the Glasgow May Day march and rally #mayday13

7 May 2013

Several UNISON Scotland branches took part in the very successful march and rally on Sunday organised by Glasgow Trades Council.

Pictures below . . including of the UNISON Kinneil Band.

(Sadly the UNISON Scotland banner now needs new poles after a particularly strong gust of wind.)

Biggest Aberdeen May Day

For the first time for some years, the May Day march went the length of Union Street with UNISON members out in force. One of the biggest turnouts seen in Aberdeen heard speakers in the Castlegate before going on to a Family Fun Day in Union Terrace Gardens, organised by Aberdeen City UNISON and Aberdeenshire
UNISON in collaboration with EIS.



Sandra Dee Masson complete with dog!

May Day updates for Inverness, Aberdeen and Glasgow #MayDay13

2 May 2013

Details here of the May Day plans for Inverness and additional information about the UNISON Family Fun Day in Aberdeen, both on Saturday 4 May.

See also the STUC list of May Day events. And Glasgow Friends of May Day latest is below...

 

Inverness

Inverness (organised by Inverness and District Trades Union Council)
Assemble 10.30 am at Inverness Castle
March off 11.00 am down Castle Street onto Bridge Street turning onto Bank Street crossing the Grieg Street Bridge onto Huntly Street and finishing up at Friars Shott, Huntly Street.
Various speakers. I&DTUC would appeal to you to encourage members of your Trade Union and friends to join with us in making this an event worthy of holding each year in the City of Inverness.

Aberdeen

ABERDEEN (organised by Aberdeen Trades Union Council

Assemble: 11am Rubislaw Terrace, March down Union Street. Rally: Castlegate

For more information contact: Brian Carroll on 07826 890 342.

UNISON Family Fun Day, Union Terrace Gardens 12.30pm-4pm.

Bouncy Castle, T'ai Chi, Art Attack,Stand Up Comedian, Face Painting, Magician and

Free Food (Cafe 52) and Live Music: Forest Fire, Flaxman, Iain MacDonald, Mark Ayling

ALL WELCOME ALL FREE

 

Glasgow

GLASGOW (organised by Glasgow Trades Union Council)

The Glasgow May Day celebrations will take place this year in the O2 Academy, Eglinton Street.

Assemble: 11.30 am George Square. March off: 12 noon. Rally: O2 Academy

Speakers include Neil Findlay MSP, Alvaro Sanchez the Political Counsellor from the Venezuelan Embassy, Lillian Macer -Convenor UNISON Scotland, No2 Bedroom Tax Campaign and Tommy Gorman.

For more information contact: Tricia Donnelly on 0141 334 9983

AND GLASGOW FRIENDS OF MAYDAY update:

MayDay Celebrations step up a gear in Glasgow

Things are hotting up as Glasgow gears up for the most prominent MayDay celebrations for a number of years. In a major concert, Comedian and activist, Mark Thomas; marxist magician, Ian Saville, and former BBC Young Folk Musicians Siobhan Miller and Jeana Leslie join political song master Arthur Johnstone, and harmonica virtuoso, Fraser Speirs,  in a star studded line-up at the Great MayDay Cabaret that crowns this years’ Friends of MayDay activities. 

 

Mark Thomas has done a number of recent events in Glasgow, and was approached to headline the city’s MayDay Cabaret when he chaired the hugely successful Tony Benn film preview during the Celtic Connections festival. The concert is scheduled for Monday May 6, in the city’s Oran Mor from 7.30pm. Tickets are £12.50 from the venue or (including a booking fee) from www.oran-mor.co.uk. It is sponsored by the Co-operative Membership.

News is also breaking of an intriguing set planned by singer/writer Dave Anderson. He has been working with the Co-Op Funeralcare Brass band to develop a ‘crossover’ set with different musical strands. Dave said “I’m really looking forward to working with a brass band of the quality of the Co-op. This is a first for me but they have a great reputation as a fine band. I’m sure we’ll deliver a new and exciting set!”

The previous day (Sunday 5) the traditional Mayday march assembles in George Square at 11.30am. The march winds its way through the city to the O2 Academy in Eglinton Street, where Alvaro Sanchez, the Political Counsellor from the Venezuelan Embassy, Neil Findlay MSP and disability campaigner, Tommy Gorman will speak. 

These are the highlights of a range of activity in the two weeks around MayDay that ranges from walks to comedy, to films and theatre.

The hugely successful film, The Happy Lands, returns to Glasgow to be shown again at the GFT. This great film deals with the General Strike and the subsequent lock-out in a pit village in Fife. Made by Theatre Workshop with local community volunteers and actors, this was a hit of the recent Glasgow Film Festival, and we are really glad it has returned. GFT on Sunday May 5 at 3.45pm.

Other films are being screened by Glasgow’s anti-racism campaigners, Hope not Hate, who are premiering From Cable Street to Brick Lane on Friday evening May 3 at 7.30pm in Partick Burgh Halls - All welcome. And the Scottish Cuba Solidarity Campaign screens Will the real Terrorist please stand up? at their social evening in the STUC on Friday 10 May at 7.30. Free but ticketed. Tickets on the door.

Other Concerts feature too. A group of Matt McGinn afficionados have come together to stage a tribute to the great folksinger. In St Andrew’s in the Square on Friday May 3 tickets £10 from info@glasgowwoodrecycling.org.uk 

The highly-praised talk by Scottish composer, Bill Sweeney on Music and the Working Class Movement, has been revived by the Morning Star Campaigns Committee as part of their Our Class, Our Culture series. This year at the STUC on the evening of Wednesday May 8. At 7.00pm, Free.

Along with all these goodies - the programme for which is being supported by the STUC as part of its There is a Better Way Campaign, and Thomsons Solicitors - the regular Tron series Mayfesto returns for another year - www.tron.co.uk/mayfesto/ and a Play, a Pie and a Pint continue their innovative programming each lunchtime at Oran Mor.

.

Celebrate May Day 2013 #mayday13

1 May 2013

Details of the May Day march and rally in Glasgow on Sunday 5 May and on Saturday in Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen and Irvine, are below and on the STUC website

Also, see today's STUC news release sending solidarity to workers and their families across Europe who are protesting against austerity this May Day.

Saturday 4th May 2013

Aberdeen

ABERDEEN (organised by Aberdeen Trades Union Council

Assemble: 11am Rubislaw Terrace, March down Union Street. Rally: Castlegate

For more information contact: Brian Carroll on 07826 890 342.

Dundee

DUNDEE (organised by Dundee Trades Union Council)

Assemble 11.30 am Hilltown Park

Rally12 noon , Albert Square at Burns’ Statue

Speakers to be confirmed.

For more information contact : Mike Arnott, dundeetuc@ymail.com, 07951 443656

Edinburgh & Lothians

EDINBURGH & LOTHIANS (organised by Midlothian TUC/Edinburgh & Lothians May Day Committee)

Assemble 11.00 am Johnston Terrace

March off 11.30 am to Pleasance Theatre for rally

Speakers Lynn Henderson (PCS) Mike Dailley (Govan Law Centre) Susan Archibald (Disability Rights Activist) Stacey Devine (NUS).

Music from Wendy Weatherby Penny Stone and Stockbridge Pipe Band

Compere: Susan Morrison

There will also be workshops on Stop Trident / No to Nato, Music and Organising Migrant Workers.

Irvine

IRVINE (organised by Irvine and North Ayrshire Trades Union Council)

Assemble 10.30 am Vineburgh Centre, Quarry Road, Irvine

March off 11.00 am to Vineburgh Centre for rally with speakers, stalls and entertainment

Speakers include:

Bruce Kent, former General Secretary of CND

For more information contact: Arthur West on 07826127759

Sunday 5th May 2013

Glasgow

GLASGOW (organised by Glasgow Trades Union Council)

The Glasgow May Day celebrations will take place this year in the O2 Academy, Eglinton Street.

Assemble: 11.30 am George Square

March off: 12 noon

Rally: O2 Academy

Speakers include Neil Findlay MSP, Alvaro Sanchez the Political Counsellor from the Venezuelan Embassy, Lillian Macer -Convenor UNISON Scotland, No2 Bedroom Tax Campaign and Tommy Gorman.

For more information contact: Tricia Donnelly on 0141 334 9983

Download a copy of the programme of Glasgow events around MayDay or visit the Glasgow Friends of MayDay webpage for more information.

 

Celebrate Mayday 2013 #mayday13

.
5 April 2013

Details of this year's Mayday events around Scotland are on the STUC website.

(Remember to check for any updates as details are finalised.)

www.stuc.org.uk/campaigns-and-external-events/mayday-2013

May Day events 2011 across Scotland

Glasgow: May Day March and Rally Sunday 1st May Assemble George Square at 11am. Plus a whole week of events from 26 April to 7 May organised by Glasgow Friends of MayDay and supported by UNISON Scotland.

Dundee: Friday 29 April demo starting from 11:30 in Hilltown park with a rally in the city square at noon. Later that night there will be a social in Lyrics in St Andrews Lane from 7:30pm. This will have music, raffle and revolutionary enjoyment. Tickets cost £10.

Aberdeen: Aberdeen May Day march Saturday 30th April Assemble on Back Wynd at 11am. The march starts at 11.30am. http://aberdeenvoice.com/2011/04/may-day-march-2011/

Inverness: Inverness May Day: Sat 30 April March: Assemble at Castle at 10.45am Rally: The Square behind the County Buildings. Plus Dimension Mayday Weekend Event - Bands against the Bankers - supported by UNISON. http://invernessgigs.co.uk/inverness-club-scene/dimension-mayday-weekend-event/

Edinburgh: March & Rally - Saturday May 7th. Assemble 10.30 Johnston Terrace (top end) and march Royal Mile, Mound, Princes Street to Princes Street Gardens for a rally. Edinburgh People's Festival http://www.edinburghpeoplesfestival.org/