United Nations takes issue with UK government on human rights, says UNISON

Friday 23 October 2015

UNISON media release, with Human Rights Consortium Scotland (HRCS)

The Westminster Government faces a series of awkward human rights questions following action by the United Nations. The UN has directed the Government to address a 'list of issues' ranging from welfare cuts and reliance on food banks to blacklisting and the erosion of trade union rights.

Members of the Human Rights Consortium Scotland (HRCS), which includes representation from UNISON Scotland, gave evidence at the UN earlier this month and those concerns will now be the subject of formal dialogue between Geneva and London.  

These developments coincide with the UN celebrating its 70th anniversary on 24th October 2015 and promoting minimum human rights standards that people across the world should enjoy.   The 'list of issues' which the UK needs to answer includes how the UK will enshrine all the rights contained in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

HRCS spokesperson, Carole Ewart said 
"The UK has agreed with the UN that we would enjoy a minimum set of economic, social and cultural rights.  As so many people know from everyday life, there is a huge gap between the rhetoric and the reality so we highlighted the increase in poverty resulting from the government's austerity measures and welfare reform, the demonistaion of human rights by politicians and the UK undermining international human rights standards by abolishing The Human Rights Act 1998.  Our government has promised the UN that it will progressively realise economic and social rights to the maximum extent of available resources but has failed to do so and the poorest are suffering."

Peter Hunter, UNISON Regional Manager  and HRCS member said
"The Trade Union Bill is a direct attack on trade unions and the services we provide to members. Scottish industrial relations are particularly harmonious and CoSLA and the Scottish Government are standing shoulder to shoulder with us against this union-bashing law. Trade unions are key human rights defenders and there is widespread criticism of the Bill on Human Rights grounds so the UN intervention couldn't come at a better time" 

Notes

The Human Rights Consortium Scotland is a network of over 150 civil society organisations and individuals in Scotland.

UNISON Scotland is the public services union and the largest union in Scotland

The delegation to the UN in Geneva on 14th October included UNISON Scotland, Unite the union, Close the Gap, Engender and Nourish Scotland.

The UN list of issues can be found athttp://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/
Download.aspx?symbolno=E%2fC.12%2fGBR%2fQ%2f6&Lang=en

Details of the UN 70th Anniversary http://www.un.org/un70/en

Make work fair for parents and give children decent childhoods, say UNISON and Child Poverty Action Group

CPAG, Scotland’s most high profile child poverty charity, and UNISON, Scotland’s biggest trade union have joined together to call on political parties to lay out policies to tackle in-work poverty.

The call comes as the two organisations release their report Fair Work and Decent Childhoods – policies for those who work to live lives free of poverty. They call for investment in the social security system and say we must not allow a race to the bottom on skills, pay and insecure work.

John Dickie, Director of the Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland said ‘“The new UK government will inherit a child poverty crisis with a shocking 59% of poor children in Scotland living in working families. For the future of our children and our economy we need urgent action to make work fair for parents and allow them to give their children the decent childhoods they deserve. That’s why as anti-poverty campaigners and trade unionists we have united in setting out three key priorities for the new government – decent pay, family friendly workplaces and investment in in-work benefits.”

Foodbanks: Solidarity not charity

#stuc15 The rise of foodbanks in the 6th richest country in the world is a national scandal and the STUC will continue to campaign vigorously against austerity, low pay and benefit sanctions which see so many people reliant on them.

It will also work to support foodbanks with advice on trade union and employment rights until the need for them can be eradicated.

Supporting the motion, UNISON’s Sarah Collins told delegates that we must make sure that the next UK government and the next government at Holyrood ends wage freezes and low pay and builds affordable social housing. She warned that we must join together to campaign against TTIP which, if agreed, will lead to an increase in food prices and a decrease in quality.

Poorer students are being failed

#STUC15. Too many students in Scotland drop out of full time education due to inadequate financial support.

Speaking on behalf of a motion from the Annual STUC Youth Conference, UNISON Scotland's Ryan Boyle said that ‘students from poorer backgrounds are being failed’

Ryan supported the STUC Youth Conference motion calling for significant investment in further education support, increased grants for the poorest higher education students, a fairer deal for post graduate students, and a fair and co-ordinated funding system incorporating Student Awards Agency Scotland, Education Maintenance Allowance and hardship funds, to ensure students from poor backgrounds are not denied access to education and qualifications.

Working harder but getting poorer is conclusion of new report comparing wages and prices

Mon 13 October 2014

A new report from public services union UNISON - 'The Price of Everything and the Value of Wages' - paints a stark picture of the decline and fall in living standards for workers across public services.

Years of zero or below inflation pay rises have meant that the value of wages has failed to keep pace with rising prices. 'The Cost of Everything and the Value of Wages' tracks how prices have risen faster than wages and the way that inflation as it is experienced by the poorly paid is often significantly higher than headline figures would suggest.

The report details how the cost of food, fuel, childcare and rent amongst other essentials has increased faster than wages.

Dave Watson, Head of Bargaining and Campaigns with UNISON Scotland said:

“It’s no coincidence that we are bringing this report out at the start of Challenge Poverty week and the day of the Poverty Alliance Conference. Wage freezes are reducing people to poverty one fifth of the children in poverty in Scotland are in households where at least one adult is working.

"It’s no use politicians in Edinburgh and London trumpeting record employment figures if those in work aren’t getting enough to live on.

"Scotland needs a pay rise that’s the message we’ll be sending out loudly all this week and most especially on Saturday’s STUC demonstration for Decent Work and Dignified Lives.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

The full UNISON Scotland report 'The Price of Everything and the Value of Wages' can be found herehttp://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/publicworks/
ThePriceof_UNISONScotlandReport_Oct2014.pdf

STUC Demonstration 18 October For A Just Scotland: Decent Work and Dignified Lives - Saturday 18 October 2014 in Glasgow. STUC links for more information
http://www.stuc.org.uk/
http://www.ajustscotland.org/events/4/18-october-march-and-rally

Announcement of free healthy school lunches for all P1 to P3 children is "a huge boost"

Child poverty campaigners and trade unions including UNISON today welcomed news of free healthy school lunches for all P1 to P3 children.

First Minister Alex Salmond announced the £114 million package in the Scottish Parliament today.

It was described as “a huge boost” for children and families by the coalition of children’s charities, anti-poverty campaigners, churches and trade unions who have been campaigning for the Scottish Government to deliver on its longstanding pledge to do this.

Unions, churches and charities urge Scot Gov to deliver on free school meals

UNISON today joined the STUC, churches and charities in urging the Scottish Government to deliver on its free school meals policy.

The call follows Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg's announcement last week of free school meals for children in P1-P3 in England from September 2014.

UNISON Scotland has long campaigned for universal free school meals and is disappointed that the Scottish Government has not delivered on its commitment to provide a free healthy lunch to all pupils in P1-P3.

At a time when child poverty is predicted to increase significantly, food bank use is soaring and family budgets are hit by falling incomes and rising food and energy bills, free school meals are more important than ever.

#YestoFairPay day of action today - new pay analysis shows importance to economy

11 June 2013

Today UNISON local government branches across Scotland are organising workplace events and action campaigning for Fair Pay. (Resources and info here)

Dave Watson, UNISON's Head of Bargaining and Campaigns, has blogged on today's new TUC research showing billions lost to the economy because of the falling value of pay.

".....Council workers are the lowest paid group of public service staff. We know that low paid workers will spend much of their fair pay and Living Wage in their own communities – building the local economy. A study by APSE on the Economic Footprint of Local Services estimates that local government employees re-spend 52.5p of every pound in their pay locally. A similar study in Stoke put the figure at 63p.

Union announces Scotland wide strike ballot of council staff - #YestoFairPay

4 June 2013

Local government workers across Scotland are being balloted on strike action, after rejecting a 1% pay offer.

UNISON, the public services union, will ballot 75,000 members working for Scotland’s 32 local authorities.

Stephanie Herd, Chair of UNISON’s Local Government Committee, said: “Members are angry about a miserly 1% offer, following two years of a pay freeze.

“The year before that they only received 0.65%. Over this period the value of their pay has gone down by nearly 13%, while the cost of food and heating has soared.

“Council staff work hard delivering quality public services. They are overstretched after more than 34,500 local government jobs have gone. They are underpaid, and they see the wealthiest people in this country getting ever richer.

“Our members deserve fair pay and we believe they will vote yes for strike action to put pressure on the employers to improve the offer.”

UNISON is calling for a fair pay rise and for COSLA to commit to an annual increase in the Scottish Local Government Living Wage of £7.50 per hour. The current offer from employers includes the Living Wage, which the unions have campaigned for, but no annual uplift.

Dougie Black, UNISON lead negotiator in local government, said: “We tried to get the employers back round the table for talks after members voted to reject the offer, but the employers refused.

“It is clear that our members do not believe 1% is fair. They also lost out because they did not receive the £250 increase for the lowest paid NHS and civil service staff in the last two years, which was supposed to soften the blow of a pay freeze.”


ENDS




Notes to editors:
1. UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union representing 160,000 members working in the public sector in Scotland, including staff at all 32 local authorities.

2. The union’s local government membership includes cooks, cleaners, classroom assistants, housing staff, library workers, cleansing and environmental protection staff, technicians and trading standards workers and early years workers and social work staff .

3. Members whose conditions are linked to local government pay and conditions are also being balloted.

4. The ballot will run from 3 July to 13 August, with a proposal, if members vote yes, of a minimum of three days of strike action over a seven week period in the autumn. Two of these would be national one day strikes and there would be a rolling programme of one day strikes around the country. Selective action is also being considered.

5. In the run up to the ballot opening, UNISON branches will hold two Fair Pay Days of Action in council workplaces around the country. These will be on June 11 and 25.

6. The June 25 Fair Pay Day will also form part of the STUC’s Austerity Uncovered -There is A Better Way nine days of action across Scotland, focusing on the effects of cuts to services and benefits.

7. Unite is also balloting members in local government.

More information on our Fair Pay for Local Government 2013 campaign page: www.unison-scotland.org.uk/localgovt/pay2013 

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Council tax freeze ‘benefits leafy suburbs not poor’

2 May 2013

The Scotsman today reports on UNISON Scotland's new figures showing that the council tax freeze is costing public services dear...

Report by EDDIE BARNES

"THE council tax freeze is most beneficial for people in “leafy suburbs” and burdens hard-hit families with extra costs as local authorities “plug the gap” in their coffers by increasing charges for services, a new investigation has found.

"The report by the Unison union concludes that families in the most expensive homes are saving three times as much as those in the cheapest houses as 
a result of the freeze.

"It warns that Scotland’s 32 councils are searching for ways to boost their funding and so increasing the cost of rents, school meals and day centre costs. The union is now calling for a fresh debate to be had over the freeze, first put in place by the SNP government in 2007....." 

Read more

See also the Scotsman's report on last week's report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation showing that the council tax freeze is damaging to low income families. 

Council tax freeze ‘worsens’ austerity for poor 

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Tackle poverty to help children's education

#stuc13 Congress condemned the inequalities in education, linked to poverty, which blight the life chances of many of Scotland’s children, and prevent them from taking up places in colleges and universities - Susan Kennedy full story at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/stuc2013/12.html

Benefits cap punishes people for being poor, jobless and having families #JoinUNISON

15 April 2013

UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis today hit out at the
latest phase in the government’s war on people who have to rely on benefits.

People in four London boroughs will have their benefits capped, ahead of the policy being rolled-out across England, Scotland and Wales between July and September.

Dave said: "Our benefits system is there to give a helping hand to those who need our help, yet this government is using it to score political points and deepen divisions in our society.

"This policy punishes people for being poor, for being jobless, for having families. It will increase homelessness and force councils to uproot families and move them miles away from home. The amount saved will be about £110m a year and, but unless there are jobs for those people to move into to help support themselves, it could be even less.

"That sounds a lot, but the total benefit bill is £201bn. And in all the talk of "fairness" that this government comes out with, remember tax avoidance costs us £30bn.

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Innovative pensions fund plan for new social housing in Scotland

25 March 2013

 

UNISON today launched a proposal to use Scottish council pension funds to invest in much needed affordable social housing.

Preliminary discussions with housing associations have shown keen interest in the plan which could potentially unlock many millions of pounds for building new homes.

UNISON’s head of bargaining and campaigns Dave Watson will set out the innovative proposal at the Scottish Federation of Housing Association (SFHA) Development and Investment Conference in Crieff today. (Monday)

He said that at a time of tight public finances, with £11 billion of Scottish Local Government Pension Fund (LGPS) assets currently invested overseas, it makes sense to switch investment to socially useful projects like housing.

Dave added: “Scotland is crying out for new social homes. Shelter Scotland estimates we need 10,000 every year but last year only 4,295 were completed.

“The housing crisis is also set to get worse with welfare reform changes, including the bedroom tax, direct payment of housing benefit and other cuts affecting our most vulnerable families.

“The LGPS currently invests a massive 45% of its £24 billion funds in overseas equities.

“We believe that scheme members, many of whom are UNISON members, want to see money invested ethically and to benefit local communities.

“Pension funds invest in arms and tobacco companies. We are sure public sector workers would much prefer their money being used to build new homes. Many of our members find it difficult to access housing in the current property market.”

UNISON Scotland is involved in discussions about developing one or two initial projects to test the idea with one or more local authority pension funds.

Dave said: “Housing associations have always represented a very low risk to lenders. Public finances are under pressure. Commercial borrowing is difficult.

“We believe that this is stable, long term investment with a very low risk of failure. If we have success with initial projects it could potentially lead to many millions of pounds for housing at a time when it is desperately needed.”

ENDS

Notes for editors:

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

2. The proposal is online at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/housing/FundingAndBuildingTheHomesScotland
Needs_Mar2013.pdf

3. The Future Homes Commission argued last year that Britain needs a revolution in the scale, quality and funding of home building, recommending a kick-start from an independent Local Housing Development Fund, financed and owned by local authority pension funds.

4. Richard Murphy, of Tax Research, said: “At a time when conventional pension fund investment policy is simply guaranteed to lose people money in the UK because of inept management, market corruption and excessive charges why aren’t pension funds being invested in things that we really need, like housing, where the payback over a period of, say, 25 years is exactly the sort of return a pension fund needs?" http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2012/11/02/the-time-for-pension-funds-to-invest-directly-in-regeneration-and-housing-has-arrived/ 

 

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UNISON Scotland slams Osborne Budget as ‘a broken record of broken hopes’

20 March 2013

UNISON Scotland leader Mike Kirby has described today's Budget by George Osborne as a "broken record of missed targets and broken hopes" and slammed the government's austerity strategy which makes public service workers pay for the sins of the bankers and the markets.

UNISON Scottish Secretary Mike Kirby said:

“Even in the Chancellor’s own terms, this Budget is a broken record of  missed targets and broken hopes, which shows that austerity is not working.”

“A budget of the rich for the rich who will gain from the removal of the 50p tax rate, and for those of the middle England stereotype who gain some small tax breaks.

"The increase in personal allowance does little to assist many public service workers, who are still in a job, and in lower income households, having suffered by falling real wages, cuts to tax credits and rising gas and electricity prices.”

“The single tier state pension to be introduced from 2016 will present many more losers than winners, a £6 billion windfall for the Treasury from 2016-17, alongside big national insurance increases from the ending of contracted out rebates on NI for those who’ve been providing for life after work through occupational pension schemes.”

"The announcement that the government will seek significant further savings through reforms to progression pay is another disgraceful attack on public service workers who are being punished for the sins of the bankers and the markets.

Progression pay is the contractual process by which staff reach the rate for the job. It is not a pay rise."

“The £2.5 billion extra cuts in public services may fund house building and other projects, but at the cost of revenue for other public services, when the public has greater trust in services that are delivered locally, so the chancellor should devolve resources for housing, infrastructure and jobs, not cut local budgets for central projects.”

UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis said the Chancellor was "out of ideas and should be out of a job."

Dave Prentis said:

“The Chancellor is clearly bankrupt of ideas. His bleak austerity agenda and fiscal inertia is leading to stagnation, robbing the country of the Government’s prized AAA rating and tipping it towards a triple dip recession.

“Attacking public services is the Chancellor’s default setting. Osborne talks about supporting people with aspirations but does exactly the opposite.

“On top of the three-year public service pay freeze workers will now have their pay pegged to 1% until 2015/16 – what does that say about giving people aspirations?

“Osborne can’t dig the country out the hole he has made – more cuts are not the answer to revitalising the economy.”

"Cutting Whitehall budgets further will simply lead to the loss of more services that the millions of people rely on with little gain for the country as a whole. Reversing the tax cut for millionaires would have been a much fairer way to raise revenue.

“It’s Bleak House for the majority but the minority get to party on.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

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

2. Full UNISON UK budget response release is online at http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=3010

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UNISON warns Chancellor: Stop digging - start growing

18 March 2013

“The country will plunge into a decade of despair if the Chancellor keeps digging the economy deeper into a hole, instead of pursuing growth”, is the stark warning from UNISON, the UK’s largest union today (18 March).

Publishing it’s alternative to the Coalition’s failing austerity agenda*, the union is presenting hard facts showing that there is a viable economic alternative that would set the country on the road to recovery.

Continued reductions in public spending via the Coalition’s programme of cuts, has led the UK’s economy through a double-dip recession and into stagnation.

Austerity should be ditched in favour of a pro-growth strategy involving job creation and a package of early investment in infrastructure, homes and the services our economy needs, says the union.

Dave Prentis, UNISON General Secretary, went on to say:

“George Osborne is bankrupt of ideas and he is dragging the country the same way. He needs to look beyond Westminster and come up with a Budget that helps the many, not just the privileged few.

“Throwing the public a scrap by suggesting that they will delay the rise in fuel tax, will not get the economy or family budgets on the road to recovery.

“This whole Government needs a reality check on the millions of people who are suffering in the UK because of its policies. It is time to face up to what most people have known all along – Osborne’s austerity agenda is making matters worse.

“While the 2008 financial crisis created the economic world in which we find ourselves, it is the Coalition’s decision to cut spending too hard and fast that has failed to get the economy moving again. That basic mistake by the Chancellor has helped lose the UK its AAA rating and committed the country to two more years of extra cuts in public spending beyond the 2015 election.”

* Growing our way out of trouble: UNISON’s alternative budget for jobs and public services.

Key Points

· UNISON is calling for a moratorium on the damaging job cuts in public services.

· Cutting public service jobs are a false economy – the redundancy costs and knock-on effects on employment, growth and tax revenue and consumer confidence only make the situation worse.

· An instant boost to the spending power of millions of UK taxpayers could be achieved by reversing Government’s public service pay policy.

· The tax and benefit changes that reduce the incomes of those on low to middle incomes should also be scrapped.

· A large and determined programme aimed at building affordable housing would help overcome the 1930’s-style depression we are currently experiencing by creating tens of thousands of jobs and stimulating economic activity whilst providing homes the country desperately needs.

· The Government should immediately introduce a “Funding for Infrastructure” plan, administered at arms-length from political control by Ministers, perhaps via a state investment bank or, like the Asset Purchase Facility, a fund administered under the auspices of the Bank of England.

· For the first two children in every family, reverse the 3 year freeze on Child Benefit imposed by the Chancellor’s 2010 Budget and help 12 million children by scrapping the millionaires’ tax cut and restoring the 50p higher rate of income tax to raise the necessary £1.27bn from April 2013 generating around £200m for the Exchequer through indirect taxation.

· Introduce an empty property tax.

· Close tax loopholes that allow wealthy individuals and corporations to use tax havens and cheat the system whilst the rest of us bear the tax burden.

ENDS

See this news release on UNISON'S UK website

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#JoinUNISON - 388% rise in bids for financial help to UNISON's welfare charity

12 March 2013

Nurses, home care assistants, school cleaners and teaching assistants are among the UNISON members struggling with rising fuel bills and turning to the union for help. 

The union has seen a massive 388% increase in requests for financial assistance, as the effect of the Government’s three year pay freeze bites deeper into household incomes.

More than half of applicants for a fuel grant (56.6%) had sacrificed food to keep warm, while 69% had cut back on clothing and 80% on leisure. The survey also revealed that 77.7% avoid putting the heating on, while 54.6% only heated the room they were in.

A very worrying finding was that nearly a third reported that the health of someone in the household suffered as a result. Asthma and bronchitis were the top consequences – including for those with young children - but cancer, diabetes, MS and arthritis sufferers were also affected by cold. One person revealed that their son with cerebral palsy was confined to a wheelchair and therefore unable to move around to keep warm.

Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON said:

“It is heartbreaking to read some of the stories behind these requests for help. Never in all my years in the union have I seen so many members struggling so hard just to keep warm and to put food on the table. It has been a long hard winter this year and it is disgraceful - heating or eating should not have to be a choice in the UK in 2013.

“The fact that nearly 30% of those surveyed are on prohibitively expensive pre-payment meters, speaks volumes about the dire state of their family finances. And is it any wonder when public service workers have been stuck on a three year pay freeze, while prices just keep on going up?

“It is time the Government invested in the future of the country for the benefit of all. We need investment in infrastructure, in building much needed homes, as well as putting money back into people’s pockets, to get them spending and stimulating their local economy.”

The union is also calling for concrete policies to stem the flow of people falling into the despair of fuel poverty. A nationwide programme of measures to insulate homes and provide energy efficient central heating systems would help domestic consumers and create jobs says UNISON.

UNISON’s welfare fund – There for you – offers advice and support as well as financial assistance for members and their families. It receives applications from members for help with debt, housing and fuel, as well as the cost of school uniforms.

The charity used to pay for wellbeing breaks for low paid families, but since the coalition took office these have been cancelled to allow the fund to cope with the massive rise in demand for help with basics such as fuel and housing, emergency financial aid and the rising demand for help with debt.

See the news release on UNISON UK website, including comments from members surveyed.

UNISON - Essential cover if you work in public services #JoinUNISON
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#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  

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Hugo Chavez is mourned in Scotland as well as Venezuela - SVSC

6 March 2013

Scottish Venezuela Solidarity Campaign News release - circulated by UNISON Scotland, which supports SVSC

People in Scotland with a commitment to social justice will mourn the death of Hugo Chavez says the Scottish Venezuela Solidarity Campaign.

Matthew Crighton, Secretary of the Scottish Venezuela Solidarity Campaign said today, “Chavez was a great leader for the people of Venezuela, with a practical commitment to improving the lives of its people and in particular the millions who had been left to a life of poverty by previous regimes.

"The sheer scope of the imaginative programmes he led forward is extraordinary - for universal healthcare, literacy, food sovereignty, land reform, electoral democracy, environmental protection, racial and gender equality, the rights of indigenous people and industrial democracy, for example.”

Matthew continued “To carry these forward he had to confront the malign influence which the USA had extended over the entire continent of South America and had instead forged an alliance for progress with neighbouring countries.

"No wonder this brought upon him the opprobrium of the USA government and its allies in this country. Instead of listening to the untruths they tried to spread about him, increasing numbers of people in Scotland have been looking to Chavez and Latin America for lessons to apply to their own predicaments.”

Some of these were heard at the Learning from Latin America conference SVSC held last December in Glasgow, at which Sandra Whyte MSP told us, as an observer of the 2012 Presidential elections, of the impeccable organisation, the very impressive turnout, and above all the massive enthusiasm in Venezuela for the re-election of Hugo Chavez – sadly the last of the many elections which he won democratically in the teeth of a local and international media dominated by his enemies.

In summing up Chavez, Matthew said “He was a great man and our thoughts and solidarity go out to his family and the people of Venezuela.”

Scottish Venezuela Solidarity Campaign

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Rise in fuel poverty linked to higher prices

27 Feb 2013

UNISON, the UK’s largest union, today accused the government of doing “precious little” to help the millions of people trapped by fuel poverty.

On the day that Centrica announced a rise in profits to £606m for its residential arm, the union is calling for urgent action to stem the flow of people falling into the despair of fuel poverty.

Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON, said:

“The rise in fuel poverty is a blight on this country with hundreds and thousands of people joining the growing numbers now spending more than 10% of household income on energy costs. Without action we are sleepwalking into very cold and dark future.

“The high cost of fuel has made ‘heat or eat’ a dilemma for many families and it is a scandal that 1.6m million children are living in fuel poverty in the UK. Shareholders and directors should not be creaming profits from British Gas and adding to the numbers of consumers struggling with their bills.

“The Government is doing precious little to address this problem. They need to pursue positive and concrete policies to stem the flow of people falling into the despair of fuel poverty. We want a nationwide programme of measures to insulate homes and provide energy efficient central heating systems for domestic consumers.

“This would help counter rising energy costs as well as providing a much needed economic boost by creating thousands of jobs. “ The union is calling on the government to plan for the future with a coherent energy policy that keeps the lights on for all consumers at an affordable price.

Notes to Editors

UNISON represents thousands of members working in the energy industry. We also operate a charity ‘there for you’ that is dealing with members who are suffering fuel poverty.


See this release on the UNISON UK website
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UNISON Vice Convener Stephen Smellie on the challenges facing local government

25 February 2013

UNISON's Vice Convener Stephen Smellie has told Holyrood Magazine about the challenges facing local government and the 'people services' it provides.

In an interview published today, Stephen highlighted how local government is taking the brunt of the cuts, how the council tax freeze leaves those worst off still paying, and about how staff fear for their jobs.

He also hit out against benefit cuts and, in particular, the bedroom tax, warning that it has not been thought through.

Stephen said: “There’s a big promotion to boost the numbers of foster carers in council areas. But if you are a foster carer, you might have a spare bedroom because kids come and go, and if you are on housing benefit, all of a sudden you are under occupied.

"Also you have informal carers, grandparents, for example, who have a spare room because their grandchildren come and stay. But under these measures, those grandparents might not be able to keep that room.

"There are a whole number of consequences which we’re left trying to support people through. In that example, kids might be taken into care instead of going to stay with a grandparent for a few nights. It is one of the consequences which haven’t been thought through.

"We’ve raised it and others in social work have raised it but there’re no answers.

“The welfare state is becoming meaner on a number of levels. Local government picks up a lot of that, we pick up through social work or housing or education. All the time this is happening, our resources and pay are being cut.”

See the full interview here

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