Our Green UNISON Day - Thurs 13 Sept

Some 'green' dates for your diaries this autumn, from UNISON Scotland's Green Network!
 
We are planning for a day of green workplace action that we hope branches will take part in on Thursday 13 September.
 
The idea is for branches across Scotland to join in some co-ordinated action for helping cut emissions at work.

A range of possible activities includes green audits, energy efficiency work, campaigning against single use plastics and for fair trade purchases, cycle friendly employer status and more.

A short guide and some ideas for promoting Green UNISON Day on social media will be circulated to branches soon. It’s suggested that these green workplace activities could also take place throughout the week running up to the 13 September, for those branches who would like to do more.

 We hope this will appeal to lots of members. All members are welcome to join our informal Green Network mailing list and come to meetings. Check out our Facebook page for occasional updates/info.

The next Green Network meeting will be from 1.30pm-3.30pm on Saturday 15 September in the UNISON Scotland office at 14 West Campbell Street, Glasgow G2 6RX, following the International Committee meeting.

 Then on Wednesday 19 September, please join the Stop Climate Chaos Scotland mass lobby at the Scottish Parliament, calling for a strong new Climate Act.



Info on the SCCS website here. Please also support the E-Action to MSPs.

 

If you are interested in being on the Green Network email list, please email Fiona Montgomery asking to join. f.montgomery@unison.co.uk

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Support @sccscot Mass Lobby of @ScotParl 29 Sept & call for climate action

UNISON Scotland is supporting the Stop Climate Chaos Scotland mass lobby of MSPs at the Scottish Parliament on 29 September. Full details from SCCS are below, including how to register for the limited number of places, and how to send support if you can't attend.

And if you're a member interested in action on climate change, do join our Green Network. At our September meeting, we will be discussing lots of ways that trade unionists can get involved, and practical policies in working for a Just Transition to a low carbon Scotland. We meet in Glasgow on the afternoon of Saturday 3 Sept. Information here, where you can also sign up for our email list.

Calling for Climate Action - Mass Lobby of Holyrood

Join people from all across Scotland for a mass lobby inside the Scottish Parliament, calling on our MSPs to take strong action on climate change.

Thursday 29th September 12-2.30pm, Edinburgh

Registration & briefing from 12 at a venue close to Holyrood, mass lobby from 1pm inside Parliament

Last year, all five party leaders at Holyrood pledged to deliver on Scotland’s climate commitments. 

Now it's time for action.

The Scottish Government will publish their draft climate action plan before the end of the year, setting out the steps they will take to tackle climate change.

It's important that this is an ambitious and credible plan, and contains action on things like renewable energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the food we eat and the way we travel, and improving energy efficiency of Scotland's buildings.

This is a great opportunity to meet your new MSPs and tell them why climate change matters to you.

Book your place.

If you can't join us on the day, you can still send a climate message. Send us a tag for our climate message tree and we'll deliver it to your MSPs on the day.

On the day we will meet at a venue near Parliament at noon, so that you can meet with others from your region and have a briefing session to help you talk to your MSPs about climate change. Everyone will then go to Parliament together to meet with MSPs.

Don't worry if you're not sure how to talk to your MSP - you will be sent a briefing pack in advance with lots of helpful information, aswell as the briefing session on the day itself. Or you can simply explain to them why you're concerned about climate change and why you feel it's important they take action.

As this event takes place inside the Scottish Parliament, places to take part in the lobby must be booked in advance.

Book your place now

Once you've booked your place, make sure you invite your MSP

Full details on the SCCS website 

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

Climate inspiration - film and @SCCScot online debate, as UK CCC calls for strong action

UNISON and Global Justice Now are holding a free community screening of the climate film This Changes Everything next month.

And the union is supporting Stop Climate Chaos Scotland’s Climate Day #AskClimateQ Holyrood election online evening debate on 18 April, as well as holding a joint fringe with SCCS at the STUC Congress in Dundee that lunchtime.

Yesterday the UK Committee on Climate Change said that climate change action in Scotland needs to be stepped up.

As a member of Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS), we welcome the Committee’s call for strong action and new policies to meet the country’s tough greenhouse emissions reduction targets.

As SCCS said, there is a massive opportunity to not only cut emissions but also to deliver new jobs in sectors like home insulation and renewable energy across Scotland, to improve public health, create investment in new industry and help tackle fuel poverty.

Increasing evidence from around the world shows the growing extent of climate change, with the Guardian reporting yesterday, using a dramatic graphic, that 'record-breaking temperatures have robbed the Arctic of its winter'.

Inspired by the Naomi Klein bestselling book of the same name, the film This Changes Everything asks: "What if confronting the climate crisis is the best chance we’ll ever get to build a better world?”

Join us from 5.30pm for the 6pm prompt screening on Friday 8 April at UNISON Scotland, 14 West Campbell Street, Glasgow G2 6RX. All welcome. Hosted by our International Committee and Green Network, working with Global Justice Now.

There will be a short discussion afterwards, finishing at 8pm. Soft drinks and popcorn too!

And don't forget Earth Hour on Saturday! Sat 19 March. 8.30pm Switch off for your planet!

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#AskClimateQ online debate #Holyrood2016 18 April

Ask the climate question - Stop Climate Chaos Scotland's online debate with political parties

Monday 18th April 2016, 7pm – 8.30pm

With elections in Scotland this May, use your voice to call on political parties to turn climate ambition into climate action. 

Join us online from anywhere in Scotland on Monday 18th April at 7pm.

For many years now, all parties in the Scottish Parliament have been broadly supportive of action on climate change.  In 2009, this was set down in law, in the form of the Scottish Climate Change Act, one of the first climate acts in the world.

At the UN climate talks in Paris at the end of last year, world leaders agreed to take more significant and more urgent action on climate change.  Political decisions made here in Scotland over the next five years will be critical to meeting our climate act, fulfilling our global commitments, and securing the benefits of becoming a low carbon country.

To give climate change the space and priority it deserves on the election agenda, Stop Climate Chaos Scotland is organising a national online debate – and we want you to take part!  

This will be your opportunity to engage with and ask questions of Scotland’s political parties from wherever you are, in a live online broadcast on Monday 18 April, at 7pm. 

Speakers include:

• Sarah Boyack, Environmental  Justice Spokesperson for Scottish Labour Party
• Mark Ruskell, Environment Spokesperson for Scottish Green Party
• SNP speaker TBC
• Liberal Democrats speaker TBC
• Scottish Conservative speaker TBC

More details about this event, including step-by-step instructions about how you can participate, will be published here on the SCCS website in due course.

SCCS' election campaign is directed towards the five political parties currently represented in the Scottish Parliament.

Follow the conversation on Twitter @SCCScot and using #AskClimateQ on the night

• Join the Facebook event 
• Read our supporter briefing to help you talk to your election candidates about climate change and related issues.
• Write to political party leaders today calling for more climate action.

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

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

Ask Scotland’s party leaders to turn climate #AmbitionIntoAction

UNISON Scotland is supporting the new Stop Climate Chaos Scotland campaign calling on Scotland's political leaders to turn ambition into action.

2016 is election year in Scotland.  And that means our political parties need to tell voters what they intend to do if they are elected.

After the December 2015 climate agreement in Paris, what matters now, across the world, is what actually happens as a result of politicians’ climate promises.

Ahead of the Scottish Parliamentary election in May 2016, it is important to tell Scotland's political parties how important and urgent climate action is, for all of us now and for future generations.

Please take a few moments to use the quick, easy tool on the SCCS website to email SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, Labour leader Kezia Dugdale, Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Willie Rennie, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, and Scottish Green Party co-convenor Patrick Harvie.

Full details on the SCCS website.

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UNISON calls on MSPs to oppose fees increase for health and care professionals

Date: Monday 15 June 2015

UNISON is calling on MSPs to oppose new legislation which aims to substantially increase registration fees for professions registered with the Health and Care Professions Council.  

The Scottish Parliament's Health and Sport Committee will consider this subordinate legislation (regulations) at its meeting on Tuesday, 16 June. UNISON is requesting an opportunity to give evidence to the committee to say why they oppose increased fees.

Dave Watson, UNISON Scotland head of bargaining and campaigns said:

"Staff have no choice but to pay this fee to work and at best have had a meagre 1% pay rise in accordance with the Scottish Government pay policy.

"On the other hand the Health and Care Professions Council is proposing a 12.5% rise to their professional fees. 

Enhanced Devolution, the Smith Commission - views wanted

On 19 September, Prime Minister David Cameron announced that Lord Smith of Kelvin had agreed to oversee the process to take forward the devolution commitments on further powers for the Scottish Parliament.

The terms of reference for the Smith Commission are to convene cross-party talks and facilitate an inclusive engagement process across Scotland to produce, by 30 November 2014, Heads of Agreement with recommendations for further devolution of powers to the Scottish Parliament. This process will be informed by a Command Paper, to be published by 31 October and will result in the publication of draft clauses by 25 January. The recommendations will deliver more financial, welfare and taxation powers, strengthening the Scottish Parliament within the United Kingdom.

Interested parties have until 31 October to submit views, and UNISON Scotland will do this directly and through the STUC.

In February 2013, UNISON Scotland had adopted Fairer Scotland and Devolution, our contribution to the debate on how devolution settlement can be strengthened.

http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/scotlandsfuture/FairerScotlandDevoPaperFeb2013.pdf

It is evident that the grounds of the debate have altered since that time and it would be appropriate to review that statement.

In the absence of a meeting of the Scottish Council before the submission date of 31 October, the Scottish Committee Policy seminar will meet on 23 -24 October and will consider submissions from branches.

Any comments should reach me by 5.00pm on Monday 20 October, 2014, at m.kirby@unison.co.uk

Mike J Kirby
Scottish Secretary
UNISON

Food Bill must prioritise food safety

Wed 1 Oct 2014

UNISON, the union who represent meat hygiene inspectors and environmental health officers, is calling on MSPs debating the Food (Scotland) Bill tomorrow (Thursday 2 Oct) to make the interests of consumers paramount in the objectives of the new regulatory body Food Standards Scotland.

The union is highlighting recent food scandals to make the case against deregulation. More than 60% of chickens in the UK are now infected with the campylobacter food poisoning bug, which on average kills 110 people each year and results in 22,000 people being treated in hospital. Despite this, the current UK regulators are scrapping independent inspection in poultry plants, allowing companies to appoint their own inspectors.

And it’s not just the UK regulators. The Scottish Government recently promulgated regulations that allow the visual only inspection of pigs in abbatoirs. This means tumours and abscesses will be minced into the sausages and pies we eat.

Dave Watson, UNISON’s head of bargaining and campaigns, said that; “Meat inspectors and vets must be able to carry out thorough independent inspections, free from food industry influence. Councils must also be properly funded so that food outlets are regularly inspected.”

“Since April 2012 meat inspectors and vets have prevented over a million instances of diseased animal carcasses from entering the food chain in Scotland. MSP’s are urged to recognise that simply creating a Scottish body to regulate food safety is not enough. They must legislate for higher standards to ensure the objectives set out in the Bill are achieved.”

UNISON believes the primary concern of Food Standards Scotland must be to protect consumers not increase food industry profits. This will also protect the high quality Scottish food brand which is so important for Scottish jobs.

ENDS

Notes to editor

1.    UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union. We represent the operational workforce of the Food Standards Agency – predominately meat inspectors and vets working in abattoirs and meat plants. We also represent Environmental Health Officers who inspect food premises and undertake food sampling.
 
2.    UNISON’s debate briefing for MSPs can be read here  http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/briefings/MSPe-briefing_FoodBill_Oct2014.pdf

3.    Our written submission to the Health Committee can be read here http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/EvidencetoScotParlHealthCmttee_FoodScotlandBill_May2014.pdf

4.    UNISON Scotland investigated the impact of cuts on local authority environmental health departments and at the Food Standards Agency. Two surveys of UNISON members confirmed our warnings that cuts are putting public health at risk. Full briefing can be read here. http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/briefings/b031_BargainingBrief_CutsinFoodSafety+EnvironmentalHealth_Feb2013.pdf

Deregulation of meat hygiene inspections will result in tragic consequences, warns UNISON

Tuesday 10 June 2014

UNISON, the union which represents meat hygiene inspectors in abattoirs and meat plants, today (Tuesday, 10 June) warned MSPs that any deregulation of meat hygiene inspections will result in unsafe meat entering the food chain, with potential tragic consequences.

A recent freedom of information request revealed that since April 2012 meat inspectors and vets have prevented over a million instances of diseased animal carcasses from entering the food chain. This included:

·         659,000 instances of the Liver Fluke parasite

·         427,000 instances of pneumonia in red meat carcasses

·         100,000 instances of adult tape worm

·         100,000 tumours in chickens

·         1100 instances of parasitic lung worm in cattle, from entering the food chain.

Dave Watson, head of UNISON bargaining and campaigns, said: “This shows what a vital job meat inspectors do. We are calling on the Scottish Government to ensure that Food Standards Scotland is focussed on safety of consumers not food industry profits. Meat inspectors and vets must be able to carry out thorough independent inspections, free from food industry influence.”

Procurement is key to making decent pay the norm, says UNISON

Tuesday 11 March 2014

UNISON Scotland is calling on MSPs to support an amendment to the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Bill which would make paying a living wage an essential condition of bidding for a public sector contract.

The Bill – which is being considered tomorrow (Wednesday) at stage 2 by the Infrastructure and Capital Investments Committee – will change how public contracts are handed out to businesses. Scotland spends approximately £10 billion a year on procurement and UNISON wants those employed in public contracts to be paid the living wage, currently £7.45 an hour.

While the Scottish Living Wage is working well across the public sector, many public services are outsourced to the private and voluntary sectors, including vital areas such as social care.

Cheryl McCormick, a support worker in Glasgow and vice chair of UNISON’s Scottish Community Service Group, said:

“There is an army of low-paid workers who care for the most vulnerable people in our society who earn less than the living wage, many less than the minimum wage when travelling time and sleepovers are taken into account; who are on zero hours contracts, and don’t have time to care properly.

“The people delivering these services are really struggling. A living wage would mean the difference between having to scrape by from month to month and worrying whether or not they can pay their bills, to being able to relax a little and maybe even have a little left at the end of the month.

“If decent pay is going to be the norm in Scotland, then procurement is the key to driving up employment standards.”

Currently, one in five Scots are paid below the living wage. UNISON’s Head of Bargaining and Campaigns, Dave Watson, gave oral evidence to the Westminster Scottish Affairs Committee yesterday (Monday) to express the union’s concerns over the impact of zero hours contracts on workers. He told the committee that the growth in casual employment is contributing to the growth of in-work poverty, damaging public services and the economy.

Dave added: “At a time when workers have experienced the longest  real wage squeeze since 1970, with inflation going up faster than pay for 43 months, this is the way to make a major step forward by boosting the income of many thousands more low paid families in Scotland.

“Companies are cutting corners in order to win contracts. Unless we opt for principled procurement these issues are not going to go away. We need MSPs to support the amendment to this Bill and make paying a living wage a stipulation for all public contracts, by including this in performance clauses.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. For more information see our Scottish Living Wage Procurement briefing at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/briefings/index.html 

2. Our briefing on the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Bill at the stage 1 debate is available here: http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/briefings/MSPe-briefing_ProcurementReformBill_Feb2014.pdf

3. UNISON Scotland’s Head of Bargaining and Campaigns, Dave Watson, gave oral evidence to the Westminster Scottish Affairs Committee yesterday (Monday) to express the union’s concerns over the impact of zero hours contracts on workers. He told the committee of the growing use of these contracts in the care sector and how zero-hours contracts is not only bad for workers, but bad for the services they deliver and bad for economy. For more information please see his blog athttp://unisondave.blogspot.co.uk/

4. The Scottish Living Wage is currently £7.45 an hour and will rise to £7.65 next month.

5. The Scottish Living Wage was one of ten asks for the Bill from a coalition of civil society organisations, including the STUC, Stop Climate Chaos Scotland and SCVO. The asks include action on blacklisting and tax dodging, a sustainable development focus and measures on ethical/fair trade, employment standards and positive social outcomes.

6. The Scottish Living Wage is good for workers as they benefit from higher pay, improved health and motivation; good for employers as it reduces turnover, improves productivity and attracts better staff; and good for the economy as it results in lower benefit costs and less stress on the NHS.

7. 6 in 10 children who live in poverty have at least one parent working. 550,000 adults (mostly women) in Scotland earn less than the living wage.

Douglas - It's what you do with what you've got that matters.

Douglas Alexander has gotten a lot of publicity in advance of a speech tonight where he will advocate more powers for the Scottish Parliament. Mr Alexander urges Labour's devoiution commission to 'range widely and act boldly'. But he should remember, it's not devolving powers that is bold - it's using them.

The speech is of course part of the referendum campaign. But given that much of that has been at the level of Eddi Reader v Bowie ... and not so much perfect as a godawful small affair. It should probably be welcomed.

Not that UNISON is advocating for support for either side - UNISON has not as yet formed a view about what option is the best in the independence referendum. We are looking at both sides and challenging them to show how their priorities match up with our longstanding policies and priorities. These are outlined in A Fairer Scotland. But with the parties advocating a no vote developing plans for further devolution we've also put forward our proposals as to how we'd like to see that go; we've outlined those in A Fairer Scotland and Devolution. So when Mr A calls for expanding devo to mean "considering taxation, employment and skills policy or indeed the responsibilities of the Crown Estates, or the running of elections" we should be glad that he's catching up with us.

More powers are fine, good, even welcome. But if its a different Scotland we want, it's what is done with those powers that matters. As the STUC have pointed out at length and in detail in their second A Just Scotland report. There is plenty that could be done now. Never mind with the extra powers that will be coming under the Scotland Act, or the further powers that would come with independence. There are many areas where what's been missing hasn't been constitutional authority but political will.

Mr Alexander obviously wants to make an impact and build support for his side in the referendum. It's not our place to help him with that - but here is some advice (that applies every bit as much to his opponents). Perhaps he should say not what powers he wants the parliament to have - but what he wants to see done with them..

It's only a thought, but most UNISON members will probably be more interested in what he intends doing for people - rather than what he wants to see done to Parliament. His boss Ed Miliband has talked a lot recently (and accurately) about a 'cost of living crisis. If Mr Alexander gives us a bit of detail on how he would use more powers to tackle that - it might hold attention a wee bit more than proposals for institutional engineering.

Public money does not belong in the hands of tax dodgers, says UNISON

UNISON is calling for an end to tax dodgers winning public contracts ahead of today’s (Thursday) parliamentary debate on the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Bill.
   In a briefing issued to all MSPs prior to the stage 1 debate, the union asks them to decide if they are on the side of the tax dodgers or if they will take action to tackle them?
    Dave Watson, UNISON Scotland’s head of bargaining and campaigns, said: “It is entirely wrong that companies who dodge paying their fair share of tax should be awarded public contracts. Almost £10bn of public money, over a quarter of the Scottish Government budget, is spent on public procurement. It is an important lever to change the behaviour of big companies who do not play by the rules”
   The union also says the Bill does not go far enough to tackle the issue of low pay.

‘Our libraries have never been under more pressure’ - UNISON Scotland

Fri 7 Feb 2014

On National Libraries Day (Saturday 8 February) UNISON warns that our libraries have never been under more pressure because of spending cuts.  National Libraries Day rounds off a week of celebrations that recognise the key role libraries play in our communities, schools, colleges, universities and in the workplace.

UNISON warns that cuts to college, university and local authority budgets has meant libraries across Scotland being forced to make cuts to opening hours and staff – and in some cases even closures.

In a UNISON survey more than 40% members reported cuts in service and two-thirds felt staffing levels in libraries were inadequate. Nearly 90% indicated public support for the service, but nearly two-thirds felt that the service was not valued.

Gray Allan, UNISON’s Falkirk Council branch secretary (and a librarian), said: 

Welcome for MSPs' call for statutory right to childcare

UNISON Equalities Officer Eileen Dinning today welcomed a report by MSPs calling for a timetable for a statutory right to childcare.

The Scottish Parliament's Equal Opportunities Committee said the move, along with more flexible working patterns, could transform women's access to work.

Eileen, chair of the STUC Women's Committee, said: "We welcome the committee's report as it reinforces our experience of the obstacles women face in the workplace.

"We have long argued for free and universal childcare and we hope this is the first step to achieving that goal."

UNISON warns of risks from planning and regulation cuts

12 June 2013

 

Severe cuts in council planning departments are leading to potential safety risks for the public, reducing the quality of the service delivered and worsening inequalities, a survey of UNISON members has revealed today.

And the union argues that the essential protections needed to “protect the public from unscrupulous and dangerous practices” - and to ensure that Scotland is a safe place to live and work - will be weakened in the Scottish government’s new Regulation Bill.

Free childcare good for families and for public finances - STUC Women's Committee

 8 May 2013

STUC Women’s Committee on Scottish Parliament Childcare Debate

Speaking prior to this afternoons debate on Childcare in the Scottish Parliament, Eileen Dinning (UNISON), the Chair of the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) Women’s Committee, said

“Free childcare would boost the economy and support families to lift them out of poverty, as evidenced by the report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) ‘Making the Case for Universal Childcare’. 

 

"Making childcare free at the point of use would be good for families and for public finances as universal childcare would bring a net return to the government of £20,050 over four years for every woman who returned to work after one year of maternity leave.”

 

ENDS

S4M-06475 Hugh Henry: Childcare—That the Parliament agrees that good quality, affordable childcare is essential to support hard-working families; welcomes the proposed extension of fully-funded early years provision to 600 hours and believes that it is essential that this has a clear educational underpinning; notes the financial and logistical challenges of extending childcare across Scotland and believes that all parties should work to reach a consensus on delivery, availability, affordability and financing of a comprehensive childcare strategy, and believes that a Scottish childcare commission with all-party support should be established to investigate and make recommendations on the expansion of affordable quality childcare across Scotland.

The Presiding Officer has selected the following amendment

S4M-06475.1 Aileen Campbell: Childcare—As an amendment to motion S4M-06475 in the name of Hugh Henry (Childcare), leave out from third “and believes” to end and insert “; also notes the work of the Early Years Taskforce, which brings together practitioners, professionals and politicians from different parties to inform the strategic development of early years policy, including early learning and childcare; further notes the Scottish Government’s commitment to legislate via the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill to introduce flexibility into childcare provision and the help that this will provide in matching childcare to the circumstances of individual families, and further welcomes the forthcoming work by the Council of Economic Advisers to look at the best models of delivery and funding for Scotland and the associated economic and social impact of moving to the levels of support for childcare that is commonplace in other European countries

See STUC website

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Women’s equality at work no better than when Scottish Parliament opened in 1999

25 April 2013

UNISON today provided damning evidence to MSPs that major obstacles remain to women achieving equality in the workplace and that low paid women deserve action not more words.

Equalities Officer Eileen Dinning told the Scottish Parliament’s Equal Opportunities Committee in written evidence that if anything women’s position in employment has worsened since the Parliament opened in 1999.

She welcomed the Committee’s Inquiry into Women and Work and called on members to use their “power and influence to effect change and convert the rhetoric of equality into money for underpaid women.”

Eileen, who is chair of the STUC Women’s Committee, said after the meeting: “As recognised by the Scottish Government and many economists, women’s participation in the labour market contributes significantly to the Scottish economy.

“But we are making the same points today about the obstacles to women’s participation as we were when the Parliament opened. Women across Scotland need MSPs to stop talking and deliver on equality in the workplace.”

UNISON’s evidence listed a six point plan including: ensuring all public authorities meet equal pay obligations, free and comprehensive childcare; addressing health problems women face around shift working and ensuring employers carry out equality impact assessments on proposed changes to terms and conditions to avoid further discrimination against low paid women.

Eileen told MSPs that free and comprehensive childcare is essential in modern Scottish society. Flexible working is not just about meeting caring responsibilities but about a better work and home life for everyone. Free childcare should be provided in the way we provide primary and secondary education.

She added:  “The STUC is increasingly concerned about the growth of zero hours contracts and the casualisation of the workforce. Zero hours contracts are not about flexible working. Flexible working should be negotiated and agreed. Zero hours contracts show a total lack of commitment on the part of the employers.”

And on equal pay, Eileen said: “Equal pay audits should be compulsory. Employment tribunals on equal pay are still costing the public purse millions of pounds. This could be avoided if reporting and auditing is built in from the beginning.”

 

ENDS

 

Notes to editors:

1. UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union representing 160,000 members working in the public sector in Scotland - including all of Scotland's local authorities. More than 70% of our members are women; many are low paid or work part time.

2. UNISON’s evidence to the Equal Opportunities Committee is online at www.scottish.parliament.uk/S4_EqualOpportunitiesCommittee/Papers_18_April.pdf

 

3. UNISON says that the following steps are required to address the current imbalance that continues to discriminate against women in the workplace and in accessing the labour market:-

·         Establish through comprehensive research the current obstacles to flexible working;

·         Free and comprehensive childcare;

·         Addressing the universal health concerns relating to women and shift working;

·         Take steps to ensure that ALL public authorities meet their obligations under the Equal Pay provisions of the Equality Act 2010;

·         Take steps to ensure that all public authorities have in place robust recording systems in order to fulfil their obligations under the The Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012 No. 162.

·         Call for employers to equality impact assess proposed changes to terms and conditions and avoid further discriminating against low paid women.

 

Anne Johnstone, in The Herald, says: "It's hard to imagine a more effective way of getting women back to work than free childcare." www.heraldscotland.com/comment/columnists/theres-a-lot-to-do-to-get-women-back-to-work.20903557

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