Three things UNISON members can do about climate change today/this weekend! #ScotPfG

You may have spotted some good news about climate action in yesterday’s Programme for Government, including action on phasing out new fossil fuel cars, investment in active travel, drink deposit schemes and low carbon infrastructure. (UNISON briefing here).

We particularly welcome news of the Just Transition Commission, although we still need to hear the details of it and some other commitments and proposals to be sure they can and will deliver on what is needed in the necessary timescales. STUC response to PfG here. Stop Climate Chaos Scotland response here. (We are obviously still opposed to the Scottish Government continuing with plans to cut Air Departure Tax - taking money from essential public services and going totally against proclaimed ambitions on climate.) 

There’s also lots happening this weekend about climate action and UNISON members can play a part by doing one or more of the following three things...

1. Add your voice to calls for the new Climate Act to be as strong as possible by making sure you support the SCCS E Action to contact First Minister Nicola Sturgeon or send a postcard (email Fiona Montgomery with your postal address to receive one for you and a few for colleagues f.montgomery@unison.co.uk )
    
2. Are you or colleagues interested in ‘Energy Democracy, Public Energy Companies and Investment for Just Transition’ – come to, and/or tell them about, the seminar on Friday, 8 Sept, organised by the Just Transition Partnership. 9.30am-12.30pm at the STUC. Speakers include Sean Sweeney, of Trade Unions for Energy Democracy. Apply to Matthew Crighton to be sure of a place. mcrighton@foe-scotland.org.uk
                               
3. All UNISON members are welcome at the Green Network meeting on Saturday, 9 Sept, in the UNISON Scotland office. Sean Sweeney is speaking at this too, along with Allison Roche, Policy Officer at UNISON UK. Come along and/or tell interested colleagues. Find out more about potential income generation for councils through city energy generation / renewables projects. Info also on pensions divestment, Just Transition, Green Workplaces, etc. 1.30-3.30pm. Details here
    
    

Act for our Future – help make new #ClimateChangeBill bigger and better

UNISON members are being urged to help make Scotland’s new Climate Change Act as strong as possible.

With other members of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS), we are disappointed that the Scottish Government’s proposals for the new Bill are not ambitious enough.

The SCCS Act for our Future campaign has an easy online E Action. You can click here to email First Minister Nicola Sturgeon asking her to:

•Set a target of zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 at the latest, and a reduction of 77% by 2030

•Ensure that future finance budgets are consistent with our climate targets

•Commit to actions that cut emissions and deliver a cleaner, healthier, more prosperous Scotland by:

Making all homes efficient and warm: Ensure that all homes have at least Energy Performance Rating ‘C’ by 2025.

Cleaner transport: phase out the sale of new fossil fuel cars by 2030 to reduce emissions, clean up air pollution and improve the nation’s health.

Greener farming: Set a nitrogen budget for Scotland by 2020.
 
The Scottish Government consultation on the new Climate Change Act closes on 22 September. UNISON will be submitting a response, as will Stop Climate Chaos Scotland. More information about our asks for the Bill will be posted later this month on this blog.

Please support the E Action and help spread the word to colleagues and through social media.
 
UNISON Scotland members interested in working on climate change issues can join our Green Network email list and come to meetings. The next is on Saturday 9 September, 1.30-3.30pm in the UNISON Scotland office at 14 West Campbell Street, Glasgow, G2 6RX. We have an excellent speaker on city renewable energy generation, as well as updates on campaigns for a Just Transition to a low carbon economy. If you would like to be added to the email list, contact Fiona Montgomery at f.montgomery@unison.co.uk
 
Also, see our Green Workplace pages http://www.unison-scotland.org/campaigns/green-workplace/ and the Green Network Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/greennetworkunisonscotland/

Tackle fuel poverty scandal and help fight climate change, says UNISON

Tackling Scotland’s “disgraceful” fuel poverty scandal must be a top priority and will help fight climate change, UNISON said today.

New figures from the Existing Homes Alliance show that 62% of Scottish homes are “unhealthily cold”. The public services union works with the EHA, Energy Action Scotland, Stop Climate Chaos Scotland and others in calling for a Warm Homes Act.

UNISON’s 2016 manifesto ‘Public services and a sustainable Scotland’ says that climate change is one of the biggest challenges we face, with action on energy efficiency, active travel and green workplaces crucial to helping meet climate targets.

Depute Convener Stephen Smellie said: “The lack of energy efficiency in Scotland’s housing stock is a social and environmental scandal. It adds massively to our carbon emissions and is a major cause of fuel poverty, which is at disgraceful levels.

“We want to see a Warm Homes Act, with the energy efficiency of Scotland’s homes designated as a National Infrastructure Project. It would help cut fuel poverty, boost GDP, sustain local jobs, improve health and wellbeing, reducing NHS spending, as well as improve energy security and deliver substantial emissions reductions.

“UNISON also wants to see a meaningful shift from car use, including through a more integrated public transport system, with green travel to work plans as part of strong green workplace action, with employers recognising trade union environment representatives.”

The manifesto calls for a ‘Just Transition’ to the low carbon economy necessary to meet Scotland’s climate targets and an expansion of public and community owned electricity generation.

UNISON says that public procurement has a major role in driving up standards, including the provision of fresh, healthy, local, sustainable food in schools and hospitals. Pubic bodies have important duties under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 and these policies will help them comply with their duties.

ENDS

Notes for Editors

UNISON Scotland’s ‘Public services and a sustainable Scotland’ manifesto is available at www.unison-scotland.org/2016/04/11/public-services-and-a-sustainable-scotland-minifesto-2016/

UNISON Scotland is a key part of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland and we endorse the recommendations in the SCCS manifesto ‘Securing A Low Carbon Scotland’http://stopclimatechaos.org/sites/default/files/Manifesto-final-web.pdf

Stop Climate Chaos Scotland will host an online election debate on Climate Day (Monday 18th April) with the five parties currently represented at Holyrood. www.stopclimatechaos.org/online-debate-2016. The debate will be livestreamed and will be hosted by journalist David Torrance. 

UNISON Scotland and SCCS are jointly holding a fringe meeting at the STUC Congress in Dundee at 12.30pm on Monday 18 April. ‘Trade unions call for a low carbon Scotland’ www.unison-scotland.org/2016/03/16/climate-day-trade-unions-call-for-a-low-carbon-scotland-stuc2016-fringe/

New figures from the Existing Homes Alliance are herehttp://existinghomesalliancescotland.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/EXHA_Cold-Homes-press-release_11April16.pdf

UNISON response to Scottish Government council tax announcement today (2 March)

2 March 2016

Dave Watson, UNISON head of policy and public affairs said,

‘UNISON welcomes any progress on the council tax freeze. However after 8 years we had expected more than tinkering with the present system. This will not ensure that local government is properly funded, nor will it ensure a fair funding for local government. Scotland needs a fundamental review local tax funding for local services and a fairer local tax for Scotland.

UNISON welcomes the end to council tax freeze next year. However we are totally opposed to the 3% cap. Scotland’s councils need to be given back democratic control of their local services.They are democratically accountable to local people and know the needs of people living in their local areas.

Delaying the end of the council tax freeze to next year ensures that the 1000s of job losses and £500m cuts will go ahead this year meaning further damage to our local services and economyt.

The 8 year council tax freeze has meant £3.15bn has been cut from local services and 40,000 jobs have been cut from local government. This has had a devastating effect on local services and our economy.’

END

Notes
UNISON is the biggest union in local government

UNISON contacts
Dave Watson 07958 122 409
Danny Phillips 07944 664110

UNISON lobbying Scottish Parliament for fair funding for local services

Scotland’s largest trade union will lobby the Scottish Parliament on budget day (1pm, Wednesday 24 February 2016) to call for a fair funding settlement for local services.

Local government has taken the brunt of cuts in Scotland. Scottish Government funding is down by 0.8%. Yet funding for local government is down by 4.5%. This is a £500m cut from local services this year. 
The cumulative cost of the council tax freeze is £3.15bn out of local services. Of the 50,000 job cuts in Scotland, 40,000 have been in local government. This budget will mean a further 15,000 job cuts for Scottish council workers. 

UNISON believes these cuts are simply unsustainable.

Mark Ferguson chair of UNISON local government committee said, 

‘It is no secret that UNISON members have been taken aback by the level of cuts forced on to Scottish councils. Our local council services simply cannot sustain this level of cuts. We are already seeing cuts to services for disabled people, older people, education, youth services, school support, libraries, road repairs and much more. 

'We need to look at expanding the funds available and agree a fairer funding settlement for local government. Another £500m cuts and 15,000 more jobs cuts will have a drastic effect on both our local services and economy. It's why we are calling on the Scottish parliament to look at this budget again.’

END

Notes

• UNISON is the public services union. We are the biggest union in local government, and the biggest union in Scotland
• UNISON is joining other public sector trade unions and the STUC in a lobby of the Scottish Parliament on budget day.
• The lobby will be at 1pm outside Scottish Parliament, Wednesday, 24 February 2016. UNISON spokespeople will be available for comment

UNISON Contacts

• Mark Ferguson, chair of local government committee, 07773342570
• Danny Phillips, communications officer, 07944 664 110

Cutting libraries will increase poverty and inequality, says UNISON Scotland

Date: Saturday 6 February 2016

On National Libraries Day (6 February 2016), UNISON is warning that more local government cuts will have a drastic impact on libraries across Scotland, decreasing opportunities for all, and increasing poverty and inequality.  

Library services have been undergoing massive change, yet staff numbers have been going down, buildings are closing, opening hours are reducing and services are being cut. 

UNISON recent report, ‘Read it and weep’  raised the concerns of library staff across Scotland  who are simultaneously being expected to expand services while coping with front line cuts.  The report is based on qualitative research from UNISON members working across Scotland’s libraries, highlighting the impact of the cuts.

UNISON also recently highlighted cuts to school libraries, in a submission to the Scottish parliament petitions committee.  UNISON uncovered evidence of a consistent pattern of school library services being a soft target to meet budget cuts. School libraries are vital for young people’s learning and have a central role in equipping our younger people from disadvantaged backgrounds for the digital age; recent research has shown that  children struggle to discriminate between facts, fiction and paid for product placement online. Libraries are especially useful to children with no access to internet at home.

Gray Allan, UNISON Scotland libraries spokesperson said, 

‘Cutting library budgets is another way of entrenching inequalities. Libraries are a way that poorer families get access to the same breadth of reading materials as everyone else. And libraries are so much more than books. They provide information services for people of all backgrounds, they organise kids clubs and hubs for older people, computer terminals for those with no access to the internet can use to find job vacancies. And the support of skilled librarians to help you find the information you need.

'Fully resourced libraries support education, the economy and play an important role in bringing equality.  Despite knowing this we have allowed community and school libraries to be run down to skeleton services across Scotland. They are seen as a soft touch and we need to stand up for libraries and the work they do to tackle poverty and inequality.’

END

Notes: 
- UNISON is the biggest trade union in Scotland, and represents librarians in the community, schools, further education and higher education and in the NHS

- UNISON has made a submission in support of School Libraries Petition PE 1581 to the Scottish Parliament Public Petitions Committee Dec 2015 : 
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/
ScotParlPetitionPE1581SchoolLibraries_UNISONEvidence_Dec2015.pdf

- UNISON report 'Read it and Weep' Sept 2015: 
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/publicworks/
ReadItandWeep_LibrariesStaffSurvey_Sep2015.pdf

Cuts in school libraries include North and South Lanarkshire, East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire, Glasgow, East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Fife and Shetland.

• South Lanarkshire proposals include reducing school library staffing by 15%
• North Lanarkshire is now proposing to review the school librarian service for a second time with the reduction of 2 FTE School Library Resource Manager posts. The last review saw all schools with pupil roll under 700 reduce librarian numbers to 0.7 FTE librarian. All new staff now are only employed term time. The Council has also removed the need for library staff to have professional library qualifications.
• East Renfrewshire Council is proposing moving from 1 fully qualified librarian from each of its high schools (7) to the FTE of 3.5. The original plans to use senior pupils to staff the library appear to have been dropped due to public opposition.
• Glasgow has reduced the school librarian service to 0.5 posts per school.
• Renfrewshire now has only 7 librarians across 11 schools.
• East Ayrshire has replaced 3 librarians with 3 library assistants. Means 9 secondary schools are now covered by 5 librarians and 4 library assistants.
• South Ayrshire has, l replaced a number of librarians with library assistants.
• In Dumfries and Galloway when the librarian retired from Dumfries Academy responsibility for the library was given to the Head of English. Lockerbie Academy also currently without a librarian and Annan Academy have reduced the hours to 20 per week
• Fife  - school librarians who have retired have been replaced with library assistants
• Shetland, where the school library service has always been integrated with the public library service, there have been cuts to school library book budgets of 20-30% over the last four years. While staff numbers have remained the same the working hours of staff have been cut from 8 FTE to 5.93 FTE.

Further cuts to local services not sustainable, says UNISON Scotland

Date: Tuesday 2 February 2016

UNISON Scotland is calling for the Scottish Parliament to use its powers to put more money into local services. By 2020 expenditure on public services will be 12.5% lower in real terms. That is on top of the £2.5bn cuts since 2010.

This next round of cuts will mean at least another 15,000 job cuts for local councils. Of the 50,000 jobs that have been lost in devolved public services, 40,000 have been in councils. 

The need for council services has not disappeared, remaining staff have to take on extra work, and do the best they can to deliver what they can. UNISON has the evidence to show our local services are in crisis and further cuts are simply not sustainable.

Mark Ferguson, chair of the UNISON  local government committee said, "Local government services are vital. They deliver health, education, clean and safe streets, child protection and much more. 

"In short they create a good society and the Scottish government should use every power they have to mitigate the worst effects of UK government austerity. 

"The Scottish Parliament has tax raising powers - they can end the council tax freeze, they can work with councils to refinance PFI schemes or invest pension funds in public works, or do more to follow the recommendations of the Christie Commission and invest in preventative spending as a way of making sustainable savings. 

"The bottom line is they have the powers to protect Scots from the worst of austerity. The need for local services has not gone away, so why should our local services?"

END  
UNISON Contacts 
Dave Watson 07958 122 409
Danny Phillips 07944 664 110

New financial powers could save Scottish councils £50m, says UNISON

Wed 27 Jan 2016 Public services union UNISON has today (Wed 27 January 2016) urged the Scottish Government to push ahead with proposed new financial powers for Scottish councils to relax the rules for borrowing, lending and the repayment of loans.  These proposed changes to Scottish councils' financial powers should now be used for greater flexibility to deal with the funding crisis in Scottish councils. If used effectively it could save Scottish councils upwards of £50million, or save over 1000 jobs.  UNISON called for these ‘long overdue’ changes in their report Combating Austerity (Sept 2015). The report called for a relaxing of the repayment of loans fund regulations, arguing that councils need greater flexibility to mitigate austerity.  The Combating Austerity report explores all options and argues that making full use of flexibility in new borrowing or refinancing, and restructuring existing borrowing could potentially free up significant sums of money, at a time of severe austerity cuts.  Dave Watson, head of UNISON Scotland policy and public affairs said,  ‘These limited changes are very welcome we have been urging the Scottish Government to introduce them for some time. Scottish councils are in real crisis, cutting local services and shedding 1000s of jobs. Giving councils this flexibility could save upwards of £50m and over 1000 jobs. This is not going to solve the problem but is an example of how we need to start thinking to mitigate the worst of austerity and council tax freeze.'  UNISON is now urging the Scottish Government to go further and include new proposals to enable councils to borrow to either make grants to third parties where these grants fund capital expenditure, or for the authority to incur expenditure directly on third party tangible assets; and a new provision for a local authority to be able to borrow to lend to any of its subsidiary bodies where the loan is to be used to finance capital expenditure of the subsidiary. Dave Watson said, ‘Further changes beyond what is now being proposed, could make a real difference and mitigate some of the worst of austerity. Councils could use new types of borrowing to support, for example buyouts of expensive Privtae Finance Intitiative (PFI) contracts or, perhaps, to finance new conventional spending, they could offer health boards an alternative to expensive hub Public Private Partnerships (PPP), PFI, or Non-Profit Distributing (NPD) schemes. We think they could be doing this now. However the Scottish Government should make it explicit in the rules for Scottish councils, so we can encourage innovation and more efficient use of public funds. And vitally, use these rules to save our public services and thousands of local jobs. END Notes for editors  • UNISON is the biggest trade union in Scotland and the biggest union in local government.  • UNISON report Combating Austerity: signposting the ways Scotland could limit some of the damage from Austerity (PDF). Combating Austerity Press release 23 September 2015 here: http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/news/2015/sepoct/0923.htm • UNISON summary briefing here:  http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/briefings/ e-briefing_RelaxingBorrowingRules4Councils_Jan2016.pdf • The new draft Local Authority (Capital Finance and Accounting) (Scotland) Regulations 2016 and on Loans Fund Accounting are set to come into effect, with any changes following the consultation, from 1 April 2016 and statutory guidance can be read here:http://www.legislation.gov.uk/sdsi/2016/9780111031063 • These regulations cover changes to the statutory arrangements for local authority borrowing, lending and the statutory loans fund. They were the subject of a short consultation at the end of 2015.  • UNISON Consultation response to The new draft Local Authority (Capital Finance and Accounting) (Scotland) Regulations 2016 Here: http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/ LocalAuthorityCapitalFinanceRegs_UNISONResponsetoScotGov_Jan2016.pdf

UNISON hails historic pay deal for further education support staff in Scotland

Date: Friday 22 January 2016 UNISON hails historic pay deal for further education support staff in Scotland UNISON has led negotiations to achieve the first ever national pay rise for over four thousand support staff in Scotland‘s Further Education Colleges. Support staff deliver a range of vital student services and are key to the running of the 25 new colleges in Scotland. The deal was agreed at the new National Joint Negotiating Committee (NJNC) in Edinburgh. (Orkney, Shetland and SRUC are not in scope of the new machinery). It is the first agreement since the recent college mergers. UNITE and GMB unions are also party to the national negotiations UNISON members will receive between 1-2% pay rise. Those on lower salaries will receive a higher percent rise because of the agreement to pay the living wage and £300 flat rate increase  Key features are consolidation of the real Living Wage rate of £7.85 per hour from 1 April 2015; a flat rate of £300 for all those earning under £30k per year; a standard 35 hour week across the sector; and a minimum 27 days annual leave across the sector; and 2 days extra leave for all.  Employers and trade unions have also committed to negotiate a new single pay structure and new single set of conditions of service for all staff; as well as attainment of official Living Wage accreditation of all Colleges by the end of 2016. Chris Greenshields, Chair of UNISON Scotland’s further education sector said: “UNISON is pleased to have achieved the first ever national settlement for further education support staff in Scotland. UNISON is the union for college support staff and there is something for all our members in this negotiated package. I want to congratulate UNISON members for helping to ensure all low paid workers in Scotland's Colleges are now guaranteed the Living Wage plus £300. We will continue the work hard for more gains in the 2016, in particular an equal flat rate settlement for all workers in the sector which is much fairer than a percentage increase.“ John Gallacher, Scottish organiser and UNISON lead for FE said: “This sets up the NJNC for a wider programme of negotiations. Scottish Government (post May 2016) must provide investment for a root and branch rationalisation and harmonisation of pay rates and conditions across the sector in an acceptable timescale. The disparities currently are still extreme after many years of college level bargaining” Shirley Sephton, Vice Chair, said: “UNISON members voted to accept this offer across Scotland in the knowledge that this was the best deal we could get for 2015 through negotiation. They wish to work with management to help establish National Bargaining and in return will expect all Scottish Boards to honour the national agreement and put the increase into pay as soon as possible.” ENDS  Notes for editors The full support staff deal is for: A consolidated 1% uplift for all employees (or) £300 pro rata for employees earning below £30k (whichever is the greater) The sector will pay the living wage for its directly employed staff. Commitments from the management:  The Management Side is committed to securing living wage accreditation for all colleges, the management side and the trade unions will work to achieve this by December 2016. Standardisation of the working week to 35 hours, with no detriment to earnings, the Management Side will work to achieve this standardisation by April 2016. To provide on a pro rata basis an additional unconsolidated two days annual leave entitlement for all support staff for 2015/16. To provide a minimum of 27 days leave pro rata, with no impact on the maximum entitlement from April 2015. Address as a priority leave entitlements across the sector by 31 March 2016  Will commit to look at a flat cash settlement from 2016 If there is any change to the % increase or flat cash settlement to lecturers, the support staff  will receive this To establish a short life working group, to develop an agreed timetable inclusive of a route map of key priorities and key deliverables, by 31 March 2016. The Management Side believe this offers the best prospect of introducing a workforce modernisation programme inclusive of standardisation and harmonisation across the sector. The management side envisage such a route map addressing: A national job evaluation scheme A national pay and grading scale National Conditions of service National Pay Protection Pay award will be effective from April 2015.

Sturgeon must act to protect local government services, says UNISON

Date: Tuesday 12 January 2016

UNISON local branches across Scotland are calling on Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland, to meet UNISON members to hear about the damage Government policies are having on local government and to discuss the future of local services.

UNISON is the biggest trade union in local government and branch secretaries from across Scotland have written to the First Minister calling on her to intervene. UNISON has real and acute concerns about the state of local government in Scotland, brought on by both UK Government austerity and Scottish Government policy towards local government. 

Douglas Black, UNISON regional organiser for local government in Scotland said: 

"John Swinney’s spending review in December 2015 was met with disbelief by UNISON members. Local Government has borne the brunt of public sector cuts since 2008. Of the 50,000 jobs lost in devolved services, 40,000 have been in local government. And John Swinney’s latest budget means we will see many more cuts in local services and upwards of 10,000 more job losses.

"The situation is serious. Services are being privatised, community based services are stopping, grants to the voluntary sector are being slashed, caring services can provide only minimum client contact time, and we are seeing significant rises in charges for other services such as burials, school meals and leisure pursuits. This cannot continue. The First Minister must meet UNISON members to hear about the real damage being caused and to discuss the future of Scotland’s local services."

END

Notes:UNISON is the public services union, it is the biggest union in Scotland and the biggest union in local government.

Stand up for school librarians, says UNISON Scotland

Date: Monday 21 December 2015

UNISON Scotland has called on councils and Scottish Government to do more to protect school librarians. UNISON says the evidence is that local councils are seeing school library services as a soft target to meet budget cuts and are cutting school library services across Scotland.

UNISON has made a submission in support of School Libraries Petition PE 1581 to the Scottish Parliament Public Petitions Committee.

UNISON has evidence of cuts in North and South Lanarkshire, East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire, Glasgow, East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Fife and Shetland.

UNISON spokesperson, Simon Macfarlane, said:
'There is a consistent pattern of the school libraries service being a soft target to meet budget cuts. School libraries are not class rooms with books. They are vital for young people’s learning. School librarians have a central role in equipping our young people for the digital age; recent research has shown that children face struggle to discriminate between facts, fiction and paid for product placement online. School librarians are ideally placed to support young people to be more discerning in their use of the internet for research. We shoudl be investing more not less in school librarians. It’s unacceptable that Scottish councils are taking the brunt of the austerity cuts. But we also canot let services like school libraries disappear’

END



NOTES
UNISON is the biggest trade union in local government. We represent education staff including librarians and school librarians

The picture across Scotland varies but there is a consistent pattern of local authorities using the school libraries service as a soft target to meet budget cuts.

LOCAL CUTS INCLUDE: North and South Lanarkshire, East Renfreshire, Renfrewshire, Glasgow, East and South Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Fife and Shetland

South Lanarkshire proposals include reducing school library staffing by 15%

North Lanarkshire is now proposing to review the school librarian service for a second time with the reduction of 2 FTE School Library Resource Manager posts. The last review saw all schools with pupil roll under 700 reduce librarian numbers to 0.7 FTE librarian. All new staff now are only employed term time. The Council has also removed the need for library staff to have professional library qualifications.

East Renfrewshire Council is proposing moving from 1 fully qualified librarian from each of its high schools (7) to the FTE of 3.5. The original plans to use senior pupils to staff the library appear to have been dropped due to public opposition.

Glasgow has reduced the school librarian service to 0.5 posts per school.

Renfrewshire now has only 7 librarians across 11 schools.

East Ayrshire has replaced 3 librarians with 3 library assistants. Means 9 secondary schools are now covered by 5 librarians and 4 library assistants.

South Ayrshire has, l replaced a number of librarians with library assistants.

In Dumfries and Galloway when the librarian retired from Dumfries Academy responsibility for the library was given to the Head of English. Lockerbie Academy also currently without a librarian and Annan Academy have reduced the hours to 20 per week

Fife - school librarians who have retired have been replaced with library assistants

Shetland, where the school library service has always been integrated with the public library service, there have been cuts to school library book budgets of 20-30% over the last four years. While staff numbers have remained the same the working hours of staff have been cut from 8 FTE to 5.93 FTE.

UNISON Scotland reaction to ministerial statement on draft 2016/17 budget

Date: Wednesday 16 December 2015

Mike Kirby, UNISON Scottish Regional Secretary said,

‘UNISON Scotland recognises that Tory austerity limits the options available in the Spending Review. However, it is unacceptable that yet again local government is bearing the brunt of cuts. We are now in the 8th year of the council tax freeze that limits how councils can choose to respond to austerity. This cannot continue. We need to discuss how we are going to properly fund Council services as they play a crucial role in the health and well being of all of us.'

END

Notes

UNISON is the biggest trade union in Scotland

UNISON response to North Lanarkshire Council job cuts announcement

Thursday 22 October 2015

John Young, UNISON North Lanarkshire Council steward said,
“This is devastating for everyone living in North Lanarkshire and once again it is the low paid and vulnerable, including children, elderly and disabled people who will be the worst affected.  North Lanarkshire Council are proposing to cut 10% of the workforce which will cause chaos in our vital public services; £26m will be cut from the local economy; and at least 600 jobs are under threat of privatisation which we will oppose.

UNISON will work with the council to fight every job loss. The Scottish Government has promised no compulsory redundancies and at very least we will expect them to stick to that, so far we have not had any guarantees.

We understand it’s a difficult time and Scottish councils are being hit by the UK Government austerity and the Scottish Government’s council tax freeze. However they can do more to mitigate the impact of these cuts like borrow at record low interest rates, refinance, use reserves, reform taxation, and make better use of pension funds. 

UNISON will campaign to end austerity and increase funding from the Scottish Government and fight for all our members who are affected. We will be consulting our members in the next week or so and taking the campaign into communities to discuss the consequences of these cuts on people living in North Lanarkshire.’

'Ultimate market madness', UNISON's statement on privatisation Scottish Water services

Date: Tuesday 6 October 2015

Dave Watson, head of UNISON Scotland bargaining and campaigns, said: 
“UNISON is deeply disappointed that the contract for Scotland’s public sector water and wastewater services is to be awarded to a privatised utility.  In fairness, the Scottish Government had few options because the system of retail water competition is the ultimate in market madness. £350m will be paid to Anglian Water in Huntingdon, only for most of that money to be repaid to Scottish Water in wholesale charges. The cost of this crazy system is picked up by the taxpayer.”

“The claimed headline savings include water efficiency measures that should be undertaken anyway and is often included to spin out the alleged benefits of retail competition." 

“This procurement also highlights the importance of addressing tax dodging in procurement, an issue UNISON and other civil society organisations campaigned for during the passage of the Procurement Act. There should be pre-qualification disclosure of company taxation policies and public bodies should be able to evaluate a tender on the basis of which company pays tax or not. Assessment of bids could make use of the Fair Tax Mark."

‘We have always said that Scottish water should stay in Scotland in public hands it works, is good value for money and water customers support the corporation staying in public hands." 

ends

Notes

Corporate Watch report that Anglian paid £151 million to its private owners, but just £1 million in tax in 2012, after an operating profit of £363 million. It avoids millions in tax by routing profits through tax havens by way of taking on high-interest loans from their owners through the Channel Islands stock exchange.

Ten Asks: http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/publicworks/Procurement-10asks-regs+guidance_Apr2015.pdf

UNISON is the public sector union, the biggest union in Scotland. UNISON represents workers in Scottish Water and BusinessStream

Scottish public bodies must mitigate austerity, says UNISON

Date: Wednesday 23 September 2015

UNISON Scotland is launching a campaign today (23 September 2015) calling on the Scottish Government, local authorities and public bodies to do all they can to mitigate UK government austerity.

The public services trade union is calling for a range of financial and industrial policies to create investment in Scottish infrastructure, green energy production and jobs.

With interest rates at an all time low, it is cheaper to buy out or refinance PPP / PFI contracts saving up to £12bn; pension funds could be a source of badly needed investment for infrastructure, we need a political consensus on reform of local taxation; and councils should collaborate in using bonds as a means of financing borrowing rather than routinely using the Public Works Loan Board.

Dave Watson, head of UNISON Scotland bargaining and campaigns, said ‘We are expecting a further £2bn of cuts to local public services across Scotland. We could save £2bn by refinancing PFI / PPP projects. Every sensible measure that government and public authorities take will reduce damage to vital public services and protects jobs. And some councils are already using pension funds to invest in affordable housing, but we need to do this on a national scale.'

Dave Watson continued: 
‘Scottish local government has already seen over 40,000 job losses and many more jobs have been lost in the NHS, police, community and voluntary sector. Of course UNISON is joining with the STUC and others to campaign against austerity, however we are ready to work with Scottish Government and public authorities to do all we can to mitigate against the worst effects of these cuts’

The report is launched today

END

Notes

• UNISON is Scotland’s public services union, and it is the biggest trade union in Scotland
• The full report can be read here:http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/publicworks/CombatingAusterity_Sep2015.pdf

UNISON Statement on HMICS Independent Assurance Review Police Scotland - Call Handling Interim Report

Thu 3 September 2015

UNISON welcomes the findings of the HMICS Independent Assurance Review Police Scotland - Call Handling Interim Report. 

UNISON has fully engaged in this review and has encouraged police staff to participate as fully as they can. The review found that staff at all levels in the division are ‘strongly committed in often challenging circumstances to providing a good service to the public’. It states that they are ‘committed to doing a good job and demonstrating considerable flexibility in their working practices whilst endeavouring to meet call demand’.

UNISON welcome the strong recommendation that Police Scotland should 'consolidate and stabilise their staffing, systems, procedures and processes prior' to the final reforms of control centres taking place. This makes common sense and we hope Police Scotland, The Scottish Police Authority and The Cabinet Secretary for Justice will adopt. 

We also welcome the recommendation that should it be necessary to retain specific staff beyond 31 March 2016 any voluntary redundancy / early retirement offers should be honoured. 

UNISON repeatedly voiced our concerns about the speed of reform of police control rooms and service centres. Staff who work in this environment fear that the specific deadlines / timescales of the reforms being pushed through would be detrimental to the service they can provide to the public. At very least these reforms cannot continue without taking on the valid concerns of the staff

The proposed efficiency savings of £1.1 billion by 2026 are unachievable, the creation of Police Scotland and how it is structured will not provide 'best value' and the outdated manifesto pledge of maintaining 1000 extra police officers must be reviewed as it is damaging Scottish policing. 

George McIrvine, UNISON police branch secretary said, ‘after 3 years of continued savage cuts to Scottish policing, we have a real worry for the police force over the next 11 years if these cuts continue. We urge the Scottish Government to look at their political targets to artificially maintain 1000 extra police officers and they continue to force through £1.1bn of cuts to policing.

George McIrvine also said ‘we welcome the recommendation that service centres in Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness should be maintained and staffed appropriately, while the final part of the reform to Police Control Rooms and Service Centres are consolidated. We doubt that its possible to close so many of Scotland control centres in the timescales set out without detriment to the service police scotland provide. We call on the Scottish Police Authority and the Scottish Government to adopt all measures in this interim review which go some way to safeguard and preserve the role of Police Staff within Police Scotland’

END 

NOTES
• UNISON represents police staff. We are the biggest trade union in Scotland
• Full copy of the HMICS Independent Assurance Review Police Scotland - Call Handling Interim Report can be read herehttp://www.hmics.org/sites/default/files/publications/
HMICS%20Independent%20Assurance%20Review%2C%20
Police%20Scotland%20Call%20Handling%20-%20
Interim%20Report.pdf

UNISON welcomes end of employment tribunal fees in Scotland

Wed 2 Sep 2015

UNISON has welcomed the Scottish Government announcement that it intends to abolish fees for employment tribunals in Scotland.

This announcement comes the week after UNISON vowed to go to the UK Supreme Court in its ongoing fight to appeal against the UK government's decision to introduce employment tribunal fees across the UK – after the Court of Appeal rejected UNISON’s case.

Mike Kirby, UNISON Scottish Secretary said: "The announcement to end tribunal fees in Scotland is hugely welcome. There is clear evidence that people at work are being priced out of justice, with women, disabled people  and the low-paid being disproportionately punished. This decision will ensure that people at work in Scotland will get a fair opportunity to have their case heard. This announcement goes a long way towards building more sensible industrial relations in Scotland and we welcome it."

Dave Prentis, UNISON General Secretary said: "We urge the UK government to look at what is happening in Scotland to see that there is a better way. Workers across the UK who have been treated badly at work are being denied access to justice day after day, simply because they don't have the money to take a case. Now it seems that workers in Scotland are at least going to get a better deal. Our fight for fairness at work and access to justice for every person at work in the UK will continue until these unfair and punitive fees are scrapped right across the land."

ends

 

Notes to editors

Employment tribunal fees were introduced on 29 July 2013 by the UK government. UNISON has been fighting to have the fees abolished across UK.

Fees start at around £160 to issue a Type A claim (eg unlawful deduction of wages, breach of contract) and £250 for a Type B claim (eg unfair dismissal, discrimination claims), with a further hearing fee of £230 for Type A claims and £950 for Type B claims.

The Scottish government announced In 'A Stronger Scotland: The Government's Programme for Scotland 2015-16', that it intends to abolish employment tribunal fees once it gets the new powers it is promised. On page 3 of the document (p6 of the pdf file), the government states"...we will abolish fees for employment tribunals – ensuring that employees have a fair opportunity to have their case heard."

Timeline

29 July 2013: Introduction of employment tribunal fees for workers wishing to lodge a claim against an employer. Workers must also pay a further fee when the case is heard. Appeals at the employment appeal tribunal also attract a lodging (£400) and hearing fee.

29 July 2013: UNISON seeks permission in the High Court to bring Judicial Review proceedings.

October/November 2013: UNISON’s first claim is heard in the High Court.

December 2013: Following the introduction of fees, Ministry of Justice statistics for July-September 2013 show a 56 per cent drop in ET claims compared to the same period in the previous year https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics

February 2014: UNISON’s challenge is unsuccessful. The High Court states that the claim brought by UNISON was premature and that new proceedings should be lodged if and when further evidence was available.

March 14: Ministry of Justice figures for October 2013-December 2013 show a 79 per cent drop in claims compared to the same period in the previous year https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics

May 14: UNISON is granted permission to appeal to the Court of Appeal.

June 2014: Ministry of Justice figures for January to March 2014 show a 81 per cent drop in claims compared to the same period in the previous year 9https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics).

September 2014: Ministry of Justice figures for April to June 2014 show an 81 per cent drop in claims compared to the same period in the previous year (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/tribunals-statistics).

September 2014: Court of Appeal claim is stayed to allow a second High Court challenge.

October 2014: UNISON brings its second judicial review challenge against the Lord Chancellor over ET fees.

December 14: UNISON’s second challenge is unsuccessful despite 'the striking and very dramatic reduction in claims'.

April 2015: The Court of Appeal hears UNISON’s appeals in relation to both High Court claims.

26 August 2015: UNSION is unsuccessful at the Court of Appeal and an application for permission to appeal to the Supreme Court has been made.

UNISON Scotland welcomes breakthrough in tackling low pay in the NHS

Friday 3 July 2015

UNISON Scotland’s Health Committee today welcomed a breakthrough in the fight against poverty pay with the Scottish Government agreeing to a review of the lowest pay band.

This development highlights the benefits of Partnership working which has been the basis of industrial relations in NHSScotland since 1999 and further enshrines the commitment of Scottish Government and the Trades Unions to eradicating low pay in the NHS. We further believe that this gives NHS Scotland an opportunity to promote career progression within the Agenda For Change framework.
‎

Tom Waterson Chair of UNISON Health Committee said “this initiative with the Scottish Government is a major step forward to fulfilling our commitment and indeed Scottish Government’s commitment to improving the lives of our dedicated NHS staff. Further, to have done so without any disruption to our Health Service and our membership again shows what can be achieved when all the parties engage in partnership working.”  

Regional Organiser for NHS Glasgow and Clyde, Matt McLaughlin said, "Scotland's biggest Health Board worked actively with UNISON to invest in support staff, the result provided a higher salary for low paid workers, but it also ensured that the skills, flexibility, range of duties and of course recruitment and retention were significantly enhanced, providing many benefits for the health board and a direct benefit to patients."

For further information contact:
Tam Waterson Chair of UNISON Scotland’s Health Committee 07753 627 575
Matt McLaughlin, UNISON regional organiser 07904 341 979

Notes for editors  

Recently published Scottish Govt workforce statistics confirm that:

There are around 19000 ( headcount) support staff in NHS Scotland the majority of which are domestics, catering assistants, porters.

5500 are paid the lowest pay band (1) with 91% of these workers being at the top at the top of their salary scale.

NHS Scotland already pays the living wage (£7.85per hour) increasing all staff to band 2 would allow low paid workers the opportunity to earn an extra £420 in the first year with the opportunity to increase earnings via annual increments to £17803 per year.

ENDS

NHS union to discuss pay bargaining

Date: Thursday 11 June 2015

Over 60 stewards and union staff from NHS union UNISON meet in Ayr today (Thurs) to plan the union's future strategy on pay in NHS Scotland.

Speaking at the annual policy event Tam Waterson Chairperson of the Scottish Health Committee said:  “UNISON believes in the NHS and UK bargaining on pay and conditions, however our members across the UK have experienced different pay deals, determined simply by which nation they live in, the time is now right for Scottish unions to negotiate with our government on pay."

Pay for NHS workers is determined by an independent pay review body (PRB). In recent years only the Scottish Government has honoured the recommendations, however the union remains critical over the level of pay awards which amount to a real terms cut in NHS workers' wages.

Tam Waterson said:
"UNISON has welcomed the Scottish Government's commitment to the PRB and we recognise that this is better than our members received in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.