West Dunbartonshire No Cuts Day 12 September

West Dunbartonshire Anti-Austerity Day, Saturday 12 September, 12 noon - 3 PM, Hub Community Centre, Kilbowie Road, Clydebank. Come and hear local and national speakers put the alternative to austerity

• music from Pauline Bradley
• free teas, coffee, juice and snacks
• stalls.
• Speakers from the People's Assembly and STUC Youth Committee.

Local speakers

• UNITE - Charlie MacDonald
• UNISON - Thomas O'Brien
• GMB and Hazards - Billy McEwan
• West Dunbartonshire Foodshare
• West Dunbartonshire Anti-Fracking Group - Karen Dunlop
• Speakers from Citizens Advice on Benefit Sanctions and from Disability Groups.

Click here for a poster

UNISON launches childcare charter for West Dunbartonshire

Date: Monday 15 June 2015 UNISON has launched a positive 10 point Charter for Early Years services run by West Dunbartonshire Council. Staff feel the quality and value of their interaction with children is being diminished as to date there has been minimal engagement with the workforce or their union UNISON on how the expanded provision is delivered.   The Charter sets out basic principles about how the Council should work with staff to  implement the Scottish Government’s commitment to increase provision of 600 hours free nursery places for all 3 and 4 years olds, and the further expansion to some two year olds coming this August. This is time for a reset and for the council to adopt a genuine partnership approach with UNISON so that we can work together in the best interest of young children and families. Simon Macfarlane, UNISON Regional Organiser today said: "The increase in free childcare provision is a major step forward for young children and their families and UNISON believes this provision is best delivered by local authorities.

UNISON welcomes ‘living wage’ announcement by council

UNISON Scotland has warmly welcomed an announcement by West Dunbartonshire Council to introduce a Living Wage for its staff.

West Dunbartonshire Council is only the second local authority in Scotland to introduce the Living Wage, following Glasgow City Council who introduced it in 2009. The move means that none if its employees will be paid less than £7.15 per hour and will result in a pay-rise for around 400 low-paid workers.

The Scottish Living Wage Campaign (SLWC) is supported by a range of community, trade union and campaigning organisations including UNISON, the Scottish Trade Union Congress (STUC), the Poverty Alliance, the Scottish Churches Social Inclusion Network and the Scottish Interfaith Council. Since the establishment of the SLWC, UNISON Scotland has been represented in the campaign as well as campaigning politically for the adoption of the campaign objectives with political parties and the Scottish Government.

Denise McLafferty, from UNISON’s West Dunbartonshire branch, said: “We are pleased to see that West Dunbartonshire Council has decided to introduce a Living Wage for its employees. Low pay is a very real problem for hundreds of thousands of workers across the country and it’s only right that workers get paid a fair day’s pay for a fair day's work.

“The existence of so many low paid jobs traps individuals and families in poverty, denying them opportunities and choices that should be for everyone in a country as wealthy as Scotland. We hope this move will help persuade other employers in the public, private and voluntary sectors to raise the salaries of low-paid staff.”

Lobby West Dunbartonshire Council against cuts - Wed 30 June

Campaign Against The Cuts in Services
Lobby West Dunbartonshire Council  - Wed 30 June
Gather from 5pm onwards at Council Offices
Garshake Road, Dumbarton. Bring your banners.

The Trades Unions at West Dunbartonshire Council have been conducting a campaign against cuts in jobs and services over the past period, joining up with community activists with street stalls and public meetings to get the message across. We will be presenting our petition to elected members at the next council meeting.
The budget announced by the Con Dem Government will be a disaster for workers and their families. It is a budget for the rich by the rich making the working class pay for the greed and excess of the banking system. We want our councillors to demand extra resources to maintain jobs and services.

Protests are taking place all over the country. We are not alone and this is a fight we must win.

Join the lobby next Wednesday.

From Tommy Morrison, UNISON West Dunbartonshire branch


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