Queen's speech - UNISON reaction

Wed 8 May 2013

QUEEN’S SPEECH – UNISON REACTION

UNISON General Secretary, Dave Prentis, said:

“There is little comfort in this programme for the young, the unemployed, the working poor, the sick, the vulnerable or the millions who have seen their living standards fall drastically since this coalition government came to power.

“It’s a typical Tory tactic to distract attention from the real problems we face by fostering a ‘blame immigrants’ culture, instead of tackling the huge divide between the rich and the poor.

“This government should face facts and accept that its policies are not working for the majority of people. What we need is a programme that will boost growth and create jobs not one that boosts insecurity and fear and creates division.”



More UNISON UK news here:
http://www.unison.org.uk/news/



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UNISON Scotland at the Glasgow May Day march and rally #mayday13

7 May 2013

Several UNISON Scotland branches took part in the very successful march and rally on Sunday organised by Glasgow Trades Council.

Pictures below . . including of the UNISON Kinneil Band.

(Sadly the UNISON Scotland banner now needs new poles after a particularly strong gust of wind.)

Biggest Aberdeen May Day

For the first time for some years, the May Day march went the length of Union Street with UNISON members out in force. One of the biggest turnouts seen in Aberdeen heard speakers in the Castlegate before going on to a Family Fun Day in Union Terrace Gardens, organised by Aberdeen City UNISON and Aberdeenshire
UNISON in collaboration with EIS.



Sandra Dee Masson complete with dog!

May Day updates for Inverness, Aberdeen and Glasgow #MayDay13

2 May 2013

Details here of the May Day plans for Inverness and additional information about the UNISON Family Fun Day in Aberdeen, both on Saturday 4 May.

See also the STUC list of May Day events. And Glasgow Friends of May Day latest is below...

 

Inverness

Inverness (organised by Inverness and District Trades Union Council)
Assemble 10.30 am at Inverness Castle
March off 11.00 am down Castle Street onto Bridge Street turning onto Bank Street crossing the Grieg Street Bridge onto Huntly Street and finishing up at Friars Shott, Huntly Street.
Various speakers. I&DTUC would appeal to you to encourage members of your Trade Union and friends to join with us in making this an event worthy of holding each year in the City of Inverness.

Aberdeen

ABERDEEN (organised by Aberdeen Trades Union Council

Assemble: 11am Rubislaw Terrace, March down Union Street. Rally: Castlegate

For more information contact: Brian Carroll on 07826 890 342.

UNISON Family Fun Day, Union Terrace Gardens 12.30pm-4pm.

Bouncy Castle, T'ai Chi, Art Attack,Stand Up Comedian, Face Painting, Magician and

Free Food (Cafe 52) and Live Music: Forest Fire, Flaxman, Iain MacDonald, Mark Ayling

ALL WELCOME ALL FREE

 

Glasgow

GLASGOW (organised by Glasgow Trades Union Council)

The Glasgow May Day celebrations will take place this year in the O2 Academy, Eglinton Street.

Assemble: 11.30 am George Square. March off: 12 noon. Rally: O2 Academy

Speakers include Neil Findlay MSP, Alvaro Sanchez the Political Counsellor from the Venezuelan Embassy, Lillian Macer -Convenor UNISON Scotland, No2 Bedroom Tax Campaign and Tommy Gorman.

For more information contact: Tricia Donnelly on 0141 334 9983

AND GLASGOW FRIENDS OF MAYDAY update:

MayDay Celebrations step up a gear in Glasgow

Things are hotting up as Glasgow gears up for the most prominent MayDay celebrations for a number of years. In a major concert, Comedian and activist, Mark Thomas; marxist magician, Ian Saville, and former BBC Young Folk Musicians Siobhan Miller and Jeana Leslie join political song master Arthur Johnstone, and harmonica virtuoso, Fraser Speirs,  in a star studded line-up at the Great MayDay Cabaret that crowns this years’ Friends of MayDay activities. 

 

Mark Thomas has done a number of recent events in Glasgow, and was approached to headline the city’s MayDay Cabaret when he chaired the hugely successful Tony Benn film preview during the Celtic Connections festival. The concert is scheduled for Monday May 6, in the city’s Oran Mor from 7.30pm. Tickets are £12.50 from the venue or (including a booking fee) from www.oran-mor.co.uk. It is sponsored by the Co-operative Membership.

News is also breaking of an intriguing set planned by singer/writer Dave Anderson. He has been working with the Co-Op Funeralcare Brass band to develop a ‘crossover’ set with different musical strands. Dave said “I’m really looking forward to working with a brass band of the quality of the Co-op. This is a first for me but they have a great reputation as a fine band. I’m sure we’ll deliver a new and exciting set!”

The previous day (Sunday 5) the traditional Mayday march assembles in George Square at 11.30am. The march winds its way through the city to the O2 Academy in Eglinton Street, where Alvaro Sanchez, the Political Counsellor from the Venezuelan Embassy, Neil Findlay MSP and disability campaigner, Tommy Gorman will speak. 

These are the highlights of a range of activity in the two weeks around MayDay that ranges from walks to comedy, to films and theatre.

The hugely successful film, The Happy Lands, returns to Glasgow to be shown again at the GFT. This great film deals with the General Strike and the subsequent lock-out in a pit village in Fife. Made by Theatre Workshop with local community volunteers and actors, this was a hit of the recent Glasgow Film Festival, and we are really glad it has returned. GFT on Sunday May 5 at 3.45pm.

Other films are being screened by Glasgow’s anti-racism campaigners, Hope not Hate, who are premiering From Cable Street to Brick Lane on Friday evening May 3 at 7.30pm in Partick Burgh Halls - All welcome. And the Scottish Cuba Solidarity Campaign screens Will the real Terrorist please stand up? at their social evening in the STUC on Friday 10 May at 7.30. Free but ticketed. Tickets on the door.

Other Concerts feature too. A group of Matt McGinn afficionados have come together to stage a tribute to the great folksinger. In St Andrew’s in the Square on Friday May 3 tickets £10 from info@glasgowwoodrecycling.org.uk 

The highly-praised talk by Scottish composer, Bill Sweeney on Music and the Working Class Movement, has been revived by the Morning Star Campaigns Committee as part of their Our Class, Our Culture series. This year at the STUC on the evening of Wednesday May 8. At 7.00pm, Free.

Along with all these goodies - the programme for which is being supported by the STUC as part of its There is a Better Way Campaign, and Thomsons Solicitors - the regular Tron series Mayfesto returns for another year - www.tron.co.uk/mayfesto/ and a Play, a Pie and a Pint continue their innovative programming each lunchtime at Oran Mor.

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UNISON on BBC's Call Kaye on the unfair council tax freeze

2 May 2013

UNISON's Policy Officer Stephen Low explained on BBC Radio Scotland's Call Kaye today why the council tax freeze is disproportionately benefiting wealthier families.

He spelled out why the freeze is not socially just and said it is much fairer for everyone to have to pay a small amount extra in tax than for some of the most vulnerable groups and people on the lowest incomes to be hit by big increases in charges for services they depend on.

The segment starts about 4 mins in.

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BBC: Union chief and MSP argue over Scottish council tax freeze

2 May 2013 

BBC Radio Scotland interviewed UNISON's Dave Watson his morning. You can listen here

Report on BBC website..

"Unison official Dave Watson and SNP MSP James Dronan disagree over whether the council tax freeze has been a good thing for householders.

"The union said people in the most expensive Band H homes saved on average £441 per year while those in the cheapest homes saved £147 a year.

"It added that increased charges for services such as rent had far outweighed the claimed savings.

"However, Mr Dornan told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme: "This is a fully funded council tax freeze. So, there is no reason for the council to be cutting services based on the council tax freeze."

"Mr Watson disagreed, telling Mr Dornan on the same programme: "Sorry, the council tax freeze isn't fully funded, it has remained at the same funding level for almost since it was started.""

UNISON's news release and report

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Unison brands council tax freeze 'unfair on poor households'

2 May 2013

The Herald also reports on UNISON's new figures...

by Magnus Gardham

"THE country's biggest trade union has launched the most comprehensive attack to date on the Scottish Government's long-running council tax freeze, claiming the policy has been unfair on poorer households.

"Public sector union Unison said wealthy households – those in Band H homes – were saving £441 per year as a result of the freeze, compared with £147 for those in the cheapest Band A homes.

"In a report, the union flatly rejected Scottish Government claims that the policy was a "lifeline" for hard-up Scots and called for a debate on its future. Council tax bills have been frozen each year since 2007 when the SNP first took power at Holyrood.

"The freeze was originally intended as an interim measure until the Nationalists promised local income tax could be delivered, but the proposal enountered fierce opposition and has remained on hold.

"Councils have been threatened with mutlimillion-pound penalties if they refuse to keep freezing bills. Alex Salmond has claimed it is part of a "social contract" with the public to keep bills down in tough economic times...."

Read more

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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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Council tax freeze is costing public services dear - UNISON

Hard-pressed Scots are facing massive increases in charges for vital local services to pay for the Scottish government’s Council Tax freeze, public sector union UNISON has revealed.

The union has called for a new debate over the Council Tax freeze - which mainly benefits those living in better off neighbourhoods.

Celebrate May Day 2013 #mayday13

1 May 2013

Details of the May Day march and rally in Glasgow on Sunday 5 May and on Saturday in Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen and Irvine, are below and on the STUC website

Also, see today's STUC news release sending solidarity to workers and their families across Europe who are protesting against austerity this May Day.

Saturday 4th May 2013

Aberdeen

ABERDEEN (organised by Aberdeen Trades Union Council

Assemble: 11am Rubislaw Terrace, March down Union Street. Rally: Castlegate

For more information contact: Brian Carroll on 07826 890 342.

Dundee

DUNDEE (organised by Dundee Trades Union Council)

Assemble 11.30 am Hilltown Park

Rally12 noon , Albert Square at Burns’ Statue

Speakers to be confirmed.

For more information contact : Mike Arnott, dundeetuc@ymail.com, 07951 443656

Edinburgh & Lothians

EDINBURGH & LOTHIANS (organised by Midlothian TUC/Edinburgh & Lothians May Day Committee)

Assemble 11.00 am Johnston Terrace

March off 11.30 am to Pleasance Theatre for rally

Speakers Lynn Henderson (PCS) Mike Dailley (Govan Law Centre) Susan Archibald (Disability Rights Activist) Stacey Devine (NUS).

Music from Wendy Weatherby Penny Stone and Stockbridge Pipe Band

Compere: Susan Morrison

There will also be workshops on Stop Trident / No to Nato, Music and Organising Migrant Workers.

Irvine

IRVINE (organised by Irvine and North Ayrshire Trades Union Council)

Assemble 10.30 am Vineburgh Centre, Quarry Road, Irvine

March off 11.00 am to Vineburgh Centre for rally with speakers, stalls and entertainment

Speakers include:

Bruce Kent, former General Secretary of CND

For more information contact: Arthur West on 07826127759

Sunday 5th May 2013

Glasgow

GLASGOW (organised by Glasgow Trades Union Council)

The Glasgow May Day celebrations will take place this year in the O2 Academy, Eglinton Street.

Assemble: 11.30 am George Square

March off: 12 noon

Rally: O2 Academy

Speakers include Neil Findlay MSP, Alvaro Sanchez the Political Counsellor from the Venezuelan Embassy, Lillian Macer -Convenor UNISON Scotland, No2 Bedroom Tax Campaign and Tommy Gorman.

For more information contact: Tricia Donnelly on 0141 334 9983

Download a copy of the programme of Glasgow events around MayDay or visit the Glasgow Friends of MayDay webpage for more information.

 

May Scotland in UNISON now online

Featuring Pay in Health and Local Government, STUC Congress 2013 and much more #stuc13 http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/siu/index.html

A motivating weekend

UNISON Scotland's branch officer training ends at lunchtime today with participants and tutors alike

Expert tuition from Lilian Macer, UNISON Scottish Convener,
and Stephen Smellie, Depute Convener, on the branch
secretaries course.

speaking of how the courses and the networking with each other motivates and gives new energy to go back to their branches to organise.

The number of new branch officers was encouraging and so were the more known faces who were changing role in their branch. But this is only the start and there is a host of other courses people can attend during the year. See the course planner at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/education/index.html

Course reminds us what the union stands for

Clare Sweeney from UNISON West Dunbartonshire Branch was thrown in at the deep end as communications officer last month after a branch development day. She had only been a steward since last year.

“I was encouraged by people to stand and I was delighted that the training came up so quickly”, said Clare (pictured). “The training is really interesting and I’ve been able to meet people from other branches.”

“Perhaps the most important thing I’ll take from it is to keep reminding us all what the union is, what it stands for and why we are in a union in the first place.”

Malcolm Burns presents the media training
on the communications course

She praised the keynote speech last night by Assistant General Secretary Roger McKenzie as “re-invigorating”, bringing her “back to the basics as to why we do this.”

It’s scary being branch secretary..

.. but the training is giving me more confidence to go back and organise in my branch, said Shirley Birrell of Scottish Borders Health Branch during a break in UNISON Scotland's branch officer training this weekend.

Shirley (on the right in the photo) became branch secretary just two months ago like Karen Merriman of Orkney Health Branch. Both had been stewards before but the big step to branch secretary was a scary one.

Shirley said she was: “interested in being branch secretary but not confident” until her regional officer encouraged her to go for it.

“The training is really helpful”, said Shirley. “It gives you lots of ideas especially showing you how to create an organising agenda in the branch.

Karen, who had been Young Members Officer previously, agreed: “The training underlines the importance of working together in the branch, making use to the skills of stewards and other officers.

“I wasn’t that confident when I came on the course but I’ll leave more enthused and motivated”, she said.

New branch officers attend training

The future of UNISON Scotland is in safe hands as 100 members attend new branch officer training in Glasgow this weekend. Run by the Scottish Learning and Organising Committee, the training concentrates on organisation and broader trade union education as well as the nuts and bolts needed to do the job.

The weekend kicked off with an inspiring contribution from UNISON Assistant General Secretary Roger McKenzie, before secretaries, treasurers, chairpersons, education officers, welfare officers, communications officers, equality officers and health and safety officers got down to work.

CRER - Scotland's political leaders on the 20th anniversary of Stephen Lawrence's murder

Stephen Lawrence - 20 Years On

INFORMATION FROM THE COALITION FOR RACIAL EQUALITY AND RIGHTS: "22nd April 2013 is the 20th anniversary of Stephen Lawrence’s murder. The Stephen Lawrence Trust is planning a series of events to celebrate Stephen’s life and legacy. As our contribution to this commemoration the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights asked Scotland's political leaders for their thoughts on what Stephen's life and legacy means for Scotland. We are grateful to Alex Salmond, Johann Lamont, Willie Rennie and Patrick Harvie for their thoughts. We are also grateful to Chief Constable, Stephen House, and Criminal Defence Lawyer, Aamer Anwar, for contributing articles as part of our online commemoration this week. See all of the comments and articles commemorating Stephen's legacy at the CRER Website."   .

UNISON marks International Workers’ Memorial Day with call for safer workplaces #iwmd13

26 April 2013

UNISON today warned that the appalling toll of death and injuries from the collapsed clothes factory in Bangladesh highlights the vital importance of strong health and safety laws.

Trade unionists across Scotland will be marking International Workers Memorial Day (28 April) at a range of events over the next few days.

But UNISON Scotland’s Scott Donohoe said the 21st IWMD comes at a time when the UK Coalition Government is making unprecedented attacks on health and safety at work.

Scott, Health and Safety Committee chair, added: “This week the House of Lords backed a legislative amendment we have been fighting because it puts safety laws back more than 100 years.

“It will make it much harder for people to gain compensation for personal injury.

“Work-related deaths, ill-health and ‘accidents’ are not acceptable. Yet budgets for enforcement have been slashed, employers need report fewer of the injuries to their workers and unannounced inspections of so-called ‘low-risk’ workplaces have been stopped.”

The Health and Safety Executive’s budget has been cut, as has the money from central to local government, which employs environmental health officers, who deal with health and safety.

ENDS
 

Notes to editors:

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

2. IWMD events in Scotland are listed on the STUC website www.stuc.org.uk/campaigns-and-external-events/international-workers-memorial-day

3. On Monday (22 April) the House of Lords voted to repeal the law which was established in 1898 which made employers automatically liable to pay compensation to injured workers or bereaved families for breaches of health and safety regulations. This is reported on UNISON’s  law firm Thompsons website www.thompsons.law.co.uk/personal-injury/workers-lives-risked-workers-memorial-day.htm

4. The Scottish Parliament debated IWMD and health and safety at work on Thursday April 25. Official Report www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28862.aspx?r=8090&mode=pdf

(Website for the graphic above is www.unison.org.uk/safety/images/IWMD_Info_graphic_final.jpg )

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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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