UNISON members give green light to pensions negotiations - Scottish comment

Date:               10 January 2012

At meetings today in London, UNISON’s elected lay representatives voted overwhelmingly to sanction further negotiations over public service pension schemes.

Scotland has separate pension schemes in health and local government with regulatory responsibility resting with the Scottish Government.

UNISON Scottish Convener Lillian Macer said:

“As the Scottish Government has the responsibility to address these issues in Scotland we call upon Scottish Ministers to explore a distinct Scottish solution for the public service workforce."

ENDS

Note to editors

UNISON press release today with statement by General Secretary Dave Prentis

http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=2563

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Rodney Bickerstaffe at Edinburgh #N30 - video

Rodney Bickerstaffe's speech to the magnificent Edinburgh Rally on November 30. Public Sector Workers stand united against attacks on pensions.

More on http://www.youtube.com/user/UNISONScotland and http://www.youtube.com/user/STUC1

Mike Kirby's speech to the Glasgow Rally #N30

Mike Kirby, Scottish Secretary of Unison and STUC President addresses the Public Services Pensions Rally in the Barrowlands Glasgow on the 30 November 2011.



More on http://www.youtube.com/user/UNISONScotland and http://www.youtube.com/user/STUC1

BBC News - Public sector strikes in Scotland: video

BBC News - Public sector strikes in Scotland: Services across Scotland have been disrupted as up to 300,000 public sector workers joined colleagues in the rest of the UK in a strike over pension and job changes.

Some good footage of rallies around Scotland and vox pops. There's a token numpty for "balance" but you'll spot and ignore him.

Morning Star: Strikers Show The Tories Who's Boss

Strikers Show The Tories Who's Boss: 2 Million Out To Save Their Pensions / Britain / Home - Morning Star: In Scotland over 300,000 workers took to the streets while in Wales an estimated 170,000 walked out in opposition to the brutal cuts.

Rallies up and down England drew tens of thousands - and received the overwhelming support of the public.

Speaking at a rally in Birmingham TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said: "On this unprecedented day when 30 unions have members taking action together we are sending a crystal-clear message to the government.

"That we are strong, that we are united, and that our campaign will go on until we secure justice and fairness for every public servant."

More...

South Lanarkshire pickets pic

Strike pics from Dumfries, Stirling, Glasgow Life, GHA & Argyll & Bute

On the picket line in Dumfries

Lots more pictures from Dumfries on Picasa here

Picketing in Stirling

And at Glasgow Life's Gorbals swimming pool

And at Glasgow Housing Association 

Argyll & Bute branch picketing. See lots more from them here

All the pictures from the strike on Picasa here

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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   

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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Shetland Branch slideshow #unisonscotN30 #N30

Hugh Henry MSP supports pickets in Paisley #unisonscotN30 #N30

From Paisley 30 Nov 2011

West Dunbartonshire picket line pictures #unisonscotN30 #N30

Johann Lamont MSP shows her support on the Glasgow march

Johann Lamont MSP joined marchers in Glasgow

http://johann4leader.org/

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Dave Prentis: Today history has been made by millions of ordinary men and women #unisonscotN30 #N30

UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis today told a rally in Birmingham that today's strike was "the biggest demonstration of determination and defiance that this country has witnessed for almost a century."

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

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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Pensions Justice: marching to Holyrood photo - lots more in Edinburgh slideshow below

From Edinburgh 30 Nov 2011

Message of support to UNISON from Impact union in Ireland

Peter Nolan

Good wishes and solidarity to all Unison Scottish workers fighting today to defend their basic conditions of employment.

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

30 November 2011 10:59 GMT Scotland is facing the biggest day of strike action in a generation with public sector workers across the country striking over changes to their pensions.

Video includes Mike Kirby, UNISON Scottish Secretary
Full report here

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