UNISON calls for Robert Gordon University to remove Donald Trump's honorary degree

Date: Wednesday 9 December 2015

UNISON members working at Robert Gordon University have written to the Principal, Professor Prondzynski, calling on him to remove Donald Trump's honorary degree because he is reported to have called for "a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States"  

UNISON believes this to be unacceptable.  

Colin Jones, Robert Gordon UNISON steward said: 

“Robert Gordon University has a strong international reputation and UNISON believes that our University's association with Donald Trump can only undermine all the hard work we have put into building this worldwide reputation.  

"We believe that the University must distance itself from such views and make it as clear as possible that such statements are both unacceptable and irresponsible. They are divisive and put Muslim friends, family and colleagues in danger of discrimination and reprisals, and will make international relations worse not better.  

END  

Notes:
UNISON is the largest trade union in Scotland. It is the public services union and it is the recognised union for professional and support staff at Robert Gordon University.

The Principal of Robert Gordon University is Professor Ferdinand Von Prondzynski. Robert Gordon University awarded Donald Trump his honorary degree in 2010.

ICT should focus on providing better services not cuts, says UNISON report

Date: Monday 30 November 2015

A UNISON Scotland report Disconnected, published today, 30 November 2015, claims that ICT services should focus on better services. The report highlights that ICT systems are all too often seen as a way of providing cheaper rather than improved public services.

This UNISON report is qualitative research of ICT staff across Scotland working across a range of public services. In local government, NHS, housing associations, universities, the police and elsewhere.

It finds that ICT systems are central to all our public services, ICT departments are feeling the brunt of cuts, and many ICT experts are leaving public sector either through redundancies or to find work elsewhere and they not being replaced.

ICT staff say they are not listened to. That morale is low. When they give warnings of problems coming down the line they are ignored. They see big opportunities to improve public services wasted in favour of short term savings to budgets. They feel ICT is too often seen as a way of delivering cuts rather than improving delivery of public services for us all. There is a lack of awareness of the potential of ICT

In common with other public services ICT staff say they are stressed by too much work and not enough people to deliver it. Staff talk of a ‘circle of decline’

Dave Watson, head of UNISON bargaining and campaigns said, ‘ICT is often thought of in terms of the hardware however its success is reliant on ICT staff and their understanding of public services and how we interact with technology. Public services must meet complex needs and ICT has a central role to play in that, it simply needs harnessed properly.’

Dave continued, ‘Public services ICT workers could make a real contribution to improving our public services, if we invested in them to develop their ideas. However employers tend to adapt private sector solutions with big promises to save budgets instead. In fact we are seeing big cuts in ICT staff and their departments, so it is no wonder we see big ICT projects going over budget or failing altogether.’

END

Notes

• Full UNISON report Disconnected:
  http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/publicworks/
  Disconnected_ICTStaffSurvey_Nov2015.pdf
• UNISON Scotland is the public services union and the biggest union in Scotland. We represent ICT workers in public and community based services across Scotland

University review on diversity must be implemented

#stuc14 The STUC slammed the new Code of Governance from university chairs as a missed opportunity making very limited change, failing to address issues on senior managers’ pay, and failing to ensure representation on the governing bodies reflects the diversity of Scotland’s population.

This failure is due to a lack of proper consultation with staff, students and trade unions. Congress also re-iterated its opposition to undergraduate tuition fees, and rejects the rest of the UK tuition fees for students.

Midnight walk out in Glasgow begins UK higher education shut down

Wed 30 October 2013

A midnight walk out by security guards at Glasgow Caledonian University will start a day of shutdown of universities and higher education colleges across the UK.

The security guards will be joined by Cinderella, the Ugly Sisters of Corporate Greed and the Fairy Godmother of Decent Pay Rises at 0000hrs 30 October (ie midnight).

This will begin a day of action by unions representing all sectors of the higher education workforce It’s not action that’s being taken lightly but following a 13% decrease in the value of pay over the last four years. the workforce serving our students have had enough. Pay should be at a level which attracts and maintains a happy and motivated workforce. Instead staff are being asked to do more and take home less and less to their families year after year.

Emma Phillips, UNISON regional organiser for higher education said;

“For UNISON, this dispute is about tackling low and decreasing pay. In the last 4 years, the pay of the university staff that we represent has fallen by nearly 15% in real terms. Over 4000 staff working in our universities are paid below the Living Wage. There are people employed by universities facing the choice between eating or heating their home this winter. I find this shocking. Universities can afford to pay decent wages. They should show more respect to all the people who work for them.



Details of local actions/ Pickets/ Rallies:

Glasgow Caledonian University - 12midnight
Walk out of security guards. The security guards will be joined by Cinderella, the Cinderella, the Ugly Sisters of Corporate Greed and the Fairy Godmother of Decent Pay Rises at 0000hr 30th October, 70 Cowcaddens Road. Walk out will go past main gate.
For further info contact Davena Rankin 07901 594158


Glasgow Rally: 12 noon – 1pm, Adelaide’s Baptist Church, Bath Street, Glasgow
Speakers so far: Dave Anderson UCU Scotland President, UNISON, Unite, Dave Moxham STUC Deputy General Secretary, NUS


Edinburgh Rally: 12 noon – 1pm, Bristo Square, Edinburgh Speakers so far: UCU, Unison, Unite, Gordon Maloney NUS Scotland President, Ann Henderson STUC Assistant Secretary


University of Aberdeen
Picket lines: From 8am – 11am - Regent Walk, Hillhead Halls, Library, Foresterhill (Polworth and IMS), College Bounds
Contact: Chris McLeod - c.mcleod@abdn.ac.uk – telephone Grampian Regional Office on (01224) 620624

Robert Gordon UniversityPicket Lines: From 8am – 11am - Garthdee Campus, Riverside East/FoHSC, RGU:Sport, ABS.
Contact: Colin Jones – c.jones@rgu.ac.uk - telephone Grampian Regional Office on (01224) 620624


Glasgow University main gate 7am – 11am

Glasgow School of Art – 7.30am -10.30am

University of West of Scotland – Paisley main entrance 0800-1100
Hamilton main entrance 0800-1100
Ayr 0800-1100

Stirling University Pickets from Unison, Unite and UCU from 0730-1030 at both the front gate and rear gate.

Napier University 7:45 till 10:30
Sigthhill Campus, Bankhead Ave, Edinburgh
Craiglockhart Campus, Glenlockhart Road, Edinburgh
Merchiston Campus, 10 Colinton Road, Edinburgh
Contact Afshin Dastafshan 07982-120802

Historic UK-wide strike to hit universities on Thu 31 Oct

Wed 30 October

Feelings are running high ahead of the first strike to hit universities involving all three higher education unions, UNISON, UCU and Unite. The UK wide strike is to go ahead tomorrow, Thursday 31 October, after university employers ignored calls to make a last minute improved offer to defuse tensions and avoid disruption to students.

UNISON members are upset and angry at the 1% pay offer which see their pay fall by nearly 15% over the past four years.  Over 4,000 staff are currently paid below the Living Wage while over half of vice-chancellors earn over £242,000 - 18 times more than the lowest paid.   1% of £13,486 is just £134.86 a year, £11.23 a month – not enough to cover the latest gas bill rises.  By contrast, even if Vice Chancellors stick to a 1% increase – which would be a big surprise – they would trouser an extra £2,420 a year.

The disruption will go much further than lectures as UNISON’s members carry out a wide variety of jobs such as supporting students on campus, in libraries, course administration, catering, cleaning and security. Many of the roles, particularly the catering and cleaning are paid at salaries below the Living Wage of £7.45p (London Living Wage £8.55p).

Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON, who will be joining members on the picket line tomorrow in London (details below) said:

“Taking strike action is never an easy decision, especially for those already struggling on low pay. With Christmas less than two months away losing a day’s pay is even harder, but it shows just how angry and upset our members feel at this miserly 1% offer.

“Even members earning above the Living Wage are finding their incomes squeezed to breaking point.  It is a disgrace that universities are sitting on cash surpluses worth £2bn, but they are not prepared to reward their staff, who are the backbone of our world class university system.

“We know that the total wage bill is falling while staff numbers have increased – that dynamic spells misery for many thousands of families.  It is time for university employers to think again about the value that they place on their workforce and come back with a better offer.”

Notes to Editors

UNISON General Secretary, Dave Prentis and Jon Richards, UNISON Head of Education will join picket lines in London at approx 9.30am - University College London - Gower Street - London - WC1E 6BT and Westminster University 309 Regent St, Paddington, London W1B 2UW - at approx 10.20


·              Higher education has a greater gender pay gap than the rest of the public sector

·              More than half of higher education institutions are using zero hours contracts and the numbers are growing

·              In the last two years surpluses in the sector have been over £2bn.  Student fee income has more than offset cuts in government grants.


UK wide snapshot of action hotspots

Brighton - 12.00 Assemble Victoria Gardens (Grand Parade); 12.30 start march through Brighton to Church Street; 13.00 disperse for rally in Corn Exchange to finish no later than 14.30.

Bristol - 11:00am rally at Senate House; TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady will be visiting picket lines.


Cambridge  - 12 noon at Central St Mary's church (outside Senate House).


Exeter - joint trade union rally, 12:30pm, Phoenix Theatre <http://goo.gl/maps/JMBS4 <http://goo.gl/maps/JMBS4> > ; UCU speaker: Barry Lovejoy

Leeds - Thursday 31 October: assembling after picketing, 11.30, Parkinson Building steps, Leeds University.  Joint union march, to rally in Victoria Gardens or City Square, depending on availability. UCU speaker: Paul Bridge


Leicester - 1.30pm rally at Nelson Mandela Park.


Liverpool - rally information details to follow


London -: rally, 2pm Conway Hall, Red Lion Square <https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Conway+Hall,+25+Red+Lion+Square,+London,+UK&hl=en&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=18.461747,46.538086&oq=25+RED+LION&hnear=Conway+Hall,+25+Red+Lion+Square,+London,+Greater+London+WC1R+4RL,+United+Kingdom&t=m&z=14&iwloc=A <https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Conway+Hall,+25+Red+Lion+Square,+London,+UK&amp;hl=en&amp;sll=53.800651,-4.064941&amp;sspn=18.461747,46.538086&amp;oq=25+RED+LION&amp;hnear=Conway+Hall,+25+Red+Lion+Square,+London,+Greater+London+WC1R+4RL,+United+Kingdom&a>  <https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Conway+Hall,+25+Red+Lion+Square,+London,+UK&hl=en&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=18.461747,46.538086&oq=25+RED+LION&hnear=Conway+Hall,+25+Red+Lion+Square,+London,+Greater+London+WC1R+4RL,+United+Kingdom&t=m&z=14&iwloc=A <https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Conway+Hall,+25+Red+Lion+Square,+London,+UK&amp;hl=en&amp;sll=53.800651,-4.064941&amp;sspn=18.461747,46.538086&amp;oq=25+RED+LION&amp;hnear=Conway+Hall,+25+Red+Lion+Square,+London,+Greater+London+WC1R+4RL,+United+Kingdom&a> > > , near Holborn; UCU speaker Michael MacNeil; UCU speaker Michael MacNeil

Manchester - 12.30pm rally at Club Academy, University of Manchester Students Union, Oxford Road. The meeting is to be chaired by Lynn Collins (North West TUC Regional Secretary). On the platform will be Kevan Nelson (Unison), Dominique Lauterburg (UCU NEC), Unite the Union speaker (TBC) and NUS president Toni Pearce: download the Manchester rally publicity poster (.pdf) [99kb] <http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/s/j/hestrike31oct13_manchesterrallyposter.pdf <http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/s/j/hestrike31oct13_manchesterrallyposter.pdf> <http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/s/j/hestrike31oct13_manchesterrallyposter.pdf &lt;http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/s/j/hestrike31oct13_manchesterrallyposter.pdf>  <http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/s/j/hestrike31oct13_manchesterrallyposter.pdf &lt;http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/s/j/hestrike31oct13_manchesterrallyposter.pdf> <http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/s/j/hestrike31oct13_manchesterrallyposter.pdf &amp;lt;http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/s/j/hestrike31oct13_manchesterrallyposter.pdf>   <http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/s/j/hestrike31oct13_manchesterrallyposter.pdf &lt;http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/s/j/hestrike31oct13_manchesterrallyposter.pdf> <http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/s/j/hestrike31oct13_manchesterrallyposter.pdf &amp;lt;http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/s/j/hestrike31oct13_manchesterrallyposter.pdf>  <http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/s/j/hestrike31oct13_manchesterrallyposter.pdf &amp;lt;http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/s/j/hestrike31oct13_manchesterrallyposter.pdf> <http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/s/j/hestrike31oct13_manchesterrallyposter.pdf &amp;amp;lt;http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/s/j/hestrike31oct13_manchesterrallyposter.pdf>    >
Newcastle - Assemble 12.30 for 1 pm Grey's Monument, Newcastle. UCU speaker: Liz Lawrence: download the Newcastle rally publicity poster (.pdf) [113kb] <http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/j/i/hestrike31oct13_newcastlerallyposter.pdf <http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/j/i/hestrike31oct13_newcastlerallyposter.pdf> <http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/j/i/hestrike31oct13_newcastlerallyposter.pdf &lt;http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/j/i/hestrike31oct13_newcastlerallyposter.pdf>  <http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/j/i/hestrike31oct13_newcastlerallyposter.pdf &lt;http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/j/i/hestrike31oct13_newcastlerallyposter.pdf> <http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/j/i/hestrike31oct13_newcastlerallyposter.pdf &amp;lt;http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/j/i/hestrike31oct13_newcastlerallyposter.pdf>   <http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/j/i/hestrike31oct13_newcastlerallyposter.pdf &lt;http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/j/i/hestrike31oct13_newcastlerallyposter.pdf> <http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/j/i/hestrike31oct13_newcastlerallyposter.pdf &amp;lt;http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/j/i/hestrike31oct13_newcastlerallyposter.pdf>  <http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/j/i/hestrike31oct13_newcastlerallyposter.pdf &amp;lt;http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/j/i/hestrike31oct13_newcastlerallyposter.pdf> <http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/j/i/hestrike31oct13_newcastlerallyposter.pdf &amp;amp;lt;http://www.ucu.org.uk/media/pdf/j/i/hestrike31oct13_newcastlerallyposter.pdf>    >

Oxford - rally in the Council Chamber at Oxford Town Hall from 1-2pm; speakers from all three unions including Jon Richards, UNISON Head of Education.

Sheffield - rally at 12.00 at the St Matthews Hall in the centre of Sheffield: UCU speaker: Simon Renton


Southampton - rally at Guildhall Square in Southampton <http://goo.gl/maps/Q7ds0 <http://goo.gl/maps/Q7ds0> <http://goo.gl/maps/Q7ds0 &lt;http://goo.gl/maps/Q7ds0>  <http://goo.gl/maps/Q7ds0 &lt;http://goo.gl/maps/Q7ds0> <http://goo.gl/maps/Q7ds0 &amp;lt;http://goo.gl/maps/Q7ds0>   <http://goo.gl/maps/Q7ds0 &lt;http://goo.gl/maps/Q7ds0> <http://goo.gl/maps/Q7ds0 &amp;lt;http://goo.gl/maps/Q7ds0>  <http://goo.gl/maps/Q7ds0 &amp;lt;http://goo.gl/maps/Q7ds0> <http://goo.gl/maps/Q7ds0 &amp;amp;lt;http://goo.gl/maps/Q7ds0>    )>  between midday and 1.30pm.


SCOTLAND
Edinburgh  - Rally: 12 noon - 1pm, Bristo Square. Speakers: Mary Senior (UCU Scotland Official), Gordon Maloney (NUS Scotland President), Ann Henderson (Assistant Secretary STUC), Emma Phillips (Regional Officer, Unison) plus speakers from Unite.

Glasgow - Rally: 12 noon - 1pm, Adelaide's Baptist Church, Bath Street. Speakers: Dave Anderson (UCU Scotland President, Robert Foster (NUS Scotland Vice President), Dave Moxham (Deputy General Secretary STUC), Davena Rankin (Unison) plus a speaker from Unite.
St Andrews - Rally at Church Square, 12 noon


WALES
Aberystwyth - details tbc

Cardiff - rally outside the Main Building of Cardiff University at 11.30am on Thursday 31st October 2013. Speakers: Margaret Phelan, (UCU Wales official), John Toner (UNITE) and a speaker from Unison tbc 




====


News release from UNISON UK press office
http://www.unison.org.uk/news/historic-uk-wide-strike-to-hit-universtites

#JoinUNISON Trade union membership pays dividends for UNISON members around Scotland

Monday 11 March 2013

UNISON said today that a Living Wage deal at one of Scotland’s biggest universities is the latest success in the union winning hundreds of thousands of pounds for members.

Low paid staff at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) are celebrating the decision to start paying the Living Wage of £7.45 per hour.

Today’s news is the latest in a series of recent successes for the public services union,  including on equal pay, other Living Wage agreements and nearly £1/2 million in personal injury settlements in the last three months.

There have also been numerous local branch successes such as £200,000 in back pay for catering workers in South Lanarkshire and millions of pounds in unpaid wages due to nursing and other staff in Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Keith Galbraith, Branch Secretary at UWS, said: “We are very pleased the university agreed after we campaigned for the Living Wage. 

“This will mainly benefit catering and cleaning staff and some library workers.  It is excellent news for our members who work hard in contributing to the excellent student experience at UWS.” 

Mike Kirby, UNISON Scottish Secretary, said today: “We congratulate our branch at the University of the West of Scotland for this latest success.

“The Living Wage is a key part of UNISON’s bargaining strategy and each win like this helps low paid staff at a time when they really need it.

“Across the UK people are worried about their jobs. In Scotland we’ve lost 57,000 public sector jobs since the start of the Coalition Government’s austerity measures. 

“Our members know that when public services are under unprecedented attack from Government, they need their union to stand up for them.

“We are today (Monday) launching a recruitment campaign highlighting that UNISON is essential cover when people are worrying about jobs and the impact of the cuts on their pay and conditions.”

UNISON branch successes include at South Lanarkshire Council where investigations after a member noticed problems with her pay found that 500 catering workers had lost out on an average two days pay per year for six years.

The total amount of back pay could be more than £200,000.

Branch Vice-Chair Tony Slaven said, “Members had queried the calculation before but it was only once UNISON took up the case that progress was made.

“Members from all over the council have been calling us to look into their own situation.  We ‘re delighted to have been able to get members the money they are due for the days they worked.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union representing 160,000 members working in public services in Scotland.

2. UNISON’s other recent successes are featured in news releases on our website at www.unison-scotland.org.uk/news/index.html 

3. UNISON’s recruitment campaign is being backed up by TV and newspaper advertising and a range of digital activity. The TV ad is here www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3BT_A_8A8I&feature=youtu.be  

.

UNISON calls for immediate withdrawal of redundancy notices at Queen Margaret University

Tuesday 18 December 2012

UNISON Scotland has called for the Education Secretary to intervene over incompetent redundancy notices issued by bosses at Edinburgh’s Queen Margaret University. The higher education union wants the redundancy notices withdrawn immediately in this week before the Christmas break.

At least 29 staff have been notified that their jobs are under threat of redundancy – and three have been told they are definitely losing their jobs – despite the fact that the posts are not redundant. The university has also failed to comply with its legal obligations to consult with UNISON and to notify government.

Regional Organiser Emma Philips said:

“There is no need for these compulsory redundancies. The planned changes are part of a reorganisation with enough jobs for all existing staff.

 “The duties of the three people in Finance who were told they have been made compulsorily redundant will have to be covered by agency staff until new staff are recruited to cover their jobs. The security staff begin being interviewed for their present jobs today. 

“We have now written to Mike Russell, the Cabinet Secretary for Education, to tell him we do not believe there is a genuine redundancy situation. The jobs still exist, although there is a change to some of the tasks within the jobs.

“We want Queen Margaret University to withdraw all notices of redundancy and review all their processes in regard to this issue. And we call on Mike Russell as Education Secretary to take swift action to ensure this happens.”

UNISON already has the support of Labour’s higher education spokesman Neil Findlay MSP, who is putting down a motion today in the Scottish Parliament in support of the QMU staff.

Emma Philips said:

“We believe these redundancy notices are incompetent – in the legal as well as the usual sense of the word. But the university management persists in putting people under this kind of pressure in the week before Christmas. It is totally unjust, they are totally wrong - and they should call a halt now.”

ENDS

For further information please contact:Emma Phillips, UNISON Regional Organiser, on 07538101221

Malcolm Burns, Communications Officer, UNISON Scotland, 0141 342 2877 or 078765 66978

Fiona Montgomery, Communications Officer, UNISON Scotland, 0141 342 2877 or 07508 876 995

Notes for editors

1. UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union representing over 160,000 members working mainly in the public sector in Scotland and represents a range staff delivering important services in further and higher education.

2. Queen Margaret University has failed to comply with its statutory obligations to consult with the trade unions and to notify government. The legislation states that these consultations should take place if 20 people are vulnerable to redundancy.

.

'Anger at university bonuses' - 'cleaners get crumbs'

12 Dec 2012

The Herald and Morning Star newspapers reported today on UNISON criticisms of bonuses paid at Napier University.

The Herald's Andrew Denholm reported on  'Anger at university bonuses':

"UNIONS have attacked plans to give staff at a university a Christmas bonus.

 

 

Members of the Unison branch at Edinburgh Napier University described the scheme to give staff a one-off payment of 0.5% of their salary as "unfair and unworthy" to lower-paid staff.

Emma Phillips, the union's regional organiser, said: "When you work it out, this means the many cleaning, catering and portering staff who are part-time would get just £80.""

 

Full story here

The Morning Star's report by Peter Lazenby said: 'Cleaners get crumbs under uni bonus plan':

University cleaners and porters slammed a Christmas bonus plan today that would give them less than £80 while their £200,000-a-year boss receives £1,000.

Staff at Edinburgh's Napier University, members of public-sector union Unison, branded the Christmas bonus proposed by principal Dame Joan Stringer "unfair and unworthy."

Unison regional organiser Emma Phillips said: "The principal's Christmas message tells all staff they have provided valued work to help achieve success for the university.

"Yet the unusual 'special payment' she proposes is a one-off payment of 0.5 per cent of your annual salary plus £100, pro-rata for part-time staff."

Full report here

.

Napier principal’s offer is nothing like a fair Christmas bonus - UNISON

Tue 11 Dec 2012

UNISON members at Edinburgh’s Napier  University have criticised a Christmas bonus proposed by the principal on the grounds that it is “unfair and unworthy”.

Cleaners and portering staff would receive less than £80 extra in their Christmas paypackets compared with the bumper gift of over a thousand pounds which Professor Dame Joan Stringer would be awarding herself.

UNISON Regional Organiser Emma Phillips said:

“The principal’s Christmas message tells all staff they have provided valued work to help achieve success for the university. Yet the unusual ‘special payment’ she proposes is a ‘one off payment of 0.5% of your annual salary plus £100 (pro-rated for part time staff)’.

“When you work it out, this means that the many cleaning, catering and portering staff who are part-time would get £79.66 – but the principal herself, on a salary in excess of £200,000 and soon to retire on a fairly decent pension, would pick up more than a thousand pounds.”

Marilyn Philip, UNISON branch chair at Napier University, said:

“Our members find it odd in the current crisis and with proposed cuts in university funding that their management feel they can use public money in this way. Poor pay awards and the rising cost of living have left our staff on lower pay much worse off. Within the last three years this same university found itself to be £6 million in debt virtually overnight and compulsory redundancies were made.

 “We believe that this Christmas offer is unfair and unworthy. A fairer way to use the resources would be to give all staff the same amount instead of a 0.5% one off payment.

 “There might be nothing like a Dame – but this is nothing like a fair Christmas bonus.”

ENDS

Notes for editors

1. UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union representing over 160,000 members working mainly in the public sector in Scotland – including staff in higher and further education.

2. By UNISON’s calculation on the basis of the salary point scales at Napier, the part-time catering and portering staff - on grade 2 - would get £79.66 at bottom of scale, bearing in mind  also many of the catering/cleaning staff are part time and this will be pro-rated. A senior manager - grade 10 - would get £467.51 and the Principal - on over £200,000 salary would get over £1,000.


.

UNISON warns of ‘dark future’ for students if university cuts go ahead

UNISON Scotland has condemned planned cuts by Glasgow Caledonian University, claiming students will face a dark future if cuts go ahead.