Recovery... well sort of.

 

We have recovered from the Financial crisis. Yes we have – it’s official. Well sort of, we currently have employment levels back at 2008 levels - 73%. 

 

Whoopee, let’s celebrate, let joy be unconfined amongst the masses pop the champagne corks and...ehh hang on. If we have recovered why are so many of us so much worse off?  

Well the reason is that while jobs numbers have recovered – wages haven’t. For most of us this is easily verifiable by checking the bank balance a couple of days after we’ve been paid and seeing what is left after the bills have come off. For anyone entertaining the idea that “It must just be me” – it’s not. The Institute of Fiscal Studies have just published a study of Earnings since the recession and it’s as cheery a read as you’d expect.

 

While this isn’t a happy picture for anyone – it is more severe for some sections of the workforce than others. Specifically young people have suffered most

 

There are a number of reasons for this decline in the value of wages. Frozen or almost frozen pay is probably the most obvious. But it’s far from being the only one. We’ve also seen a increase in part time contracts and zero hour contracts “under employment” in the jargon of economists.

Now it doesn’t have to be like this. Part of the reason for underemployment is a shortage of demand in the economy. This could be tackled through a policy of wage led growth. 

Investment in public services  could and should be an important part of this. With the promise of more  austerity at  UK level and tax cutting obsessed Government at Scottish level, this isn’t exactly the current agenda.

So you'll forgive us for not being exactly celebratory...but employment figures like this aren't the occasion for cracking open the champagne more like a can of Tesco value lager.

'Stop dumping on waste management staff' says UNISON Scotland

Fri 23 Jan 2015

UNISON Scotland conducted surveys amongst staff working in waste management across Scotland’s local authorities. The results revealed a workforce under pressure facing increasing targets and declining budgets.  

In a report Dumped On – Working in Scotland’s Waste Management Servicesthe union details the experience and expectations of a workforce trying do their job in an a constantly changing environment. 

Waste management has become a more demanding task in recent years as demands for more and more complex recycling have been put on staff at the same time as budgets have been put under pressure.  These burdens are set to increase as targets for more waste to be recycled or reused are going up and council budgets are being squeezed still further.

UNISON Scotland Head of Bargaining and Campaigns Dave Watson said:

“The job is treating rubbish – It shouldn’t mean getting rubbish treatment. Councils and the  Scottish Government should start realising that. They can’t expect staff to meet more stringent targets when they are being cut back.

“ Waste management staff are vital for both environmental Health and the health of the environment . Every political party claims they want to increase recycling rates and is signed up to the idea of a Zero Waste Scotland. They need to be prepared to put their money where litter is.

“The aim is that more waste is reused and recycled rather than put in landfill – well if Councils and Government want less waste – they are going to have to invest in more people to make that happen. They can’t expect to get ever more complex demands from a  reducing and overstretched workforce

ENDS

Notes for Editors

The report Dumped on: working in Scotland’s waste management services can be found at:
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/publicworks/
DumpedOn_WasteManagementStaffSurvey_Jan2015.pdf

Union offers safety advice to staff following hospital sexual assaults

Thursday 15 January 2015

NHS union UNISON Scotland is advising staff to be more vigilant than normal after two separate incidents of sexual assault at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary (GRI) in recent weeks.

The union has also contacted employers demanding that specific advice about personal safety and relevant details are shared with local staff to ensure that they are aware of the issue and can take reasonable steps to ensure their safety.

Branch Secretary Cathy Miller said, “we have been in touch with the employers demanded extra security be put in place; that staff are given some basic information to help them stay safe at work and that local managers are pro active around staff safety when taking decisions.”

 “In the absence of any formal advice to staff UNISON felt it was important that we let our members know that we are aware of the issue and are pressing for action. We would urge staff to be extra vigilant; where possible to travel to and from work with colleagues (and not alone); to report any suspicious behaviour to your line manager and local security and if appropriate to record any specific concerns about safety in the datex system.”

The message being given by UNISON to staff in the GRI is;

 The chance of you becoming a victim of this kind of crime are relatively low – even in the current circumstance. Police Scotland advise that there are a number of simple steps you can take to further reduce the risk to yourself.

What general steps can I take?

• Plan your journey.
• Tell someone when and where you’re going and when to expect you to get there.
• Carry a mobile phone and make sure it’s charged.
• Be aware of your surroundings and look confident about where you are going.
• Avoid listening to personal stereos which can make you less aware of what’s happening around you.
• Personal attack alarms are good to have – makes sure you carry it in your hand so you can use it immediately. Choose a type which continues to sound if you activate and then drop it.
• DON’T carry weapons or items such as pepper spray – this is illegal.

How do I stay safe on foot?

• When out walking, always attempt to walk facing the traffic so that a car cannot pull up behind you.
• If you think someone is following you, check by safely crossing to the other side of the street - cross more than once if necessary. If the person behind you crosses also and you believe that your suspicions are confirmed, stay to main, busy routes until you get to the first safe place and contact the police. Avoid using a phone box in the street as this gives the person following you an opportunity to trap you.
• If you regularly go jogging or cycling, try to vary your route and the time you go. Stick to well-lit, preferably busy, roads with pavements and avoid wooded areas.
• Don't take short-cuts through dark alleyways, parks or waste ground

Please pass this advice on to your colleagues across GRI.

Scrap plans for new women’s prison, urges UNISON Scotland

Tuesday 13 January 2015

UNISON Scotland, the public services union with many members working in Criminal Justice services has urged the Scottish Government to scrap their plans to build a new Women’s prison.

The union has written to Justice Secretary Michael Matheson saying that a tendering exercise for the construction of a new jail near Greenock should be halted.

The plans go against expert opinion and are at odds with the Scottish Government’s declared policy of reducing the number of women in prison. A new prison of this size is also against the recommendations of the Commission on Women’s Offending.

Stephen Smellie, Deputy Convener of UNISON Scotland, and Chair of the union’s Social work Issues Group said: 

“Prison is a very expensive way of not solving problems. Committing large sums of money to expanding prison capacity is to spend money on failure.

"Far better than spending some £60m on a new institution, with associated running costs, would be investment in the services which can help tackle the root causes of women’s offending – poverty, substance and alcohol misuse, mental health problems, histories of domestic and sexual abuse.

"Spending which attempts to tackle with these represents a far better use of public resource in a time of acute pressures on public spending."

ENDS 

Note to editors: UNISON ebrief on Women Offenders

http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/briefings/
e-briefing_WomenOffenders_Jan2015.pdf

Protecting Public Services

UNISON, Scotland’s public service union tells MSPs that Scotland's public services are living through a lost decade as a consequence of austerity economics and we can do more to protect public services.

 

Tomorrow (Tuesday 13 January 2015) the Scottish Parliament will debate protecting public services. UNISON Scotland's briefing to MSP's draws from our recent report 'Austerity Economics Don't Add Up', which charts the impact austerity economics is having on Scotland’s public services and the staff who deliver them.

 

In addition, UNISON has identified some common themes for MSPs from recent UNISON surveys of public service staff. They flag up consequences that are not often recognised including:

 

• The impact of cuts on service delivery and in particular on the most vulnerable in our communities. Social care is a particular concern with a race to the bottom in provision.
• Corners are being cut to give the impression that services are being maintained. Whether its food sampling, inspections, hospital cleaning or the time elderly people are allocated for basic care.
• Core infrastructure is collapsing while staff patch and mend. Sticking plasters won’t last forever.
• Preventative work is being abandoned as staff focus on the basic statutory functions.
• Moving staff around to manage one crisis after another. ‘Keeping the plates spinning’ is a very common comment from staff.
• Growing levels of stress and related health issues. A particular challenge for what is becoming an ageing workforce due to recruitment freezes.
• Delayering of structures results in quite junior staff having to take decisions, without adequate support from more senior and experienced staff.
• Cuts in support staff and administration results in front line staff having to spend more time on paperwork - exacerbated by outdated or inadequate IT systems.
• Increased aggression and violence from service users, frustrated by service cuts and delays.

 

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

“The overwhelming response from staff is that it’s bad now, but they believe it’s going to get worse. This is happening at a time when public service wages have been slashed in real terms placing significant personal pressures on staff.”

 

“We urge MSP's to recognise that there is a better way. Of course the driving force for austerity comes from the UK coalition government, but Holyrood doesn’t always make good choices. What is needed is the political will to challenge the view that austerity is necessary and to put in place better policies that deliver for all our communities.”

 

Notes to editor

 

1.    UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union. The MSP Briefing can be viewed here: http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/briefings/MSPe-briefing_PublicServices_Jan2015.pdf 

2.    Our report 'Austerity Economics Don't Add Up' can be viewed here: http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/publicworks/AusterityEconomics_Oct2014.pdf

3.    Examples of the occupational surveys can be viewed on our Public Works page: http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/publicworks/index.html

 

For more information contact:

 ·         Dave Watson, UNISON’s head of bargaining and campaigns, 0141 342 2840 or 07958122409

Christmas message from Mike Kirby, UNISON Scottish secretary

2014 was a significant year and we should be rightly proud of the role UNISON played in the independence referendum. We led the debate for a fairer and just Scotland. Thank you to UNISON members, activists, staff and supporters for the way you conducted yourselves throughout. We showed, once again, the importance of trade unions in shaping the country we live in

Public services remain a key issue. People in Scotland made it clear they want more, not less investment in public services and want to keep public services in public hands. UNISON will continue to keep all political parties to the promises they have made both on where powers lie and how they will use them. And most importantly we will ensure ordinary working people have a strong voice.

New 2015 Course Programme Launched

Welcome to UNISON Scotland's Education Programme for 2015. Our courses continue to prove very popular, particularly for new UNISON Stewards. We offer training to ensure new Stewards are accredited by law and, more importantly, feel confident in their role. Click here for full details on the website

All our regional courses are held in large cities/towns and, with the exception of specialised courses, they are tutored by specially trained UNISON staff or fully qualified Lay Tutors who are activists themselves.

We also offer Refresher training for more experienced activists and a number of specific courses where people can develop their skills in Representation, Negotiation etc. Our short Employment Law courses are as popular as ever and are delivered by our partners Thompsons Solicitors.

NHS porter’s workloads and stress go up as their wages go down, claims UNISON report

Wed 17 Dec 2014

NHS Porters are under pressure and their workloads are going up while the value of their wages are going down. The report also concludes that their training is patchy and there are reports of lack of equipment to allow them to do their job properly.

These are the conclusions of a study UNISON has conducted among NHS porters. This report also suggests a growth in zero hour contracts and widespread reports of understaffing.

The report ‘Breaking Point’ was derived from surveys of Porters across the NHS in Scotland. 

Tam Waterson Chair of UNISON Scotland’s Health Committee said, “This study shows that porters like other workers in the NHS are under stress, working harder but seeing the value of their wages go down. It increases pressure on all NHS workers which impacts on the delivery of services for patients. Porters aren’t the glamorous end of the NHS, but they matter and the NHS is a team effort and we need to take their concerns seriously”

ends

Notes to Editor

1. UNISON is the biggest trade union in Scotland, and UNISON is the biggest trade union in NHS Scotland

2. Full report, Breaking Point,  can be read here: http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/publicworks/BreakingPoint_HospitalPorterSurvey_Dec2014.pdf

New Scotland in UNISON now online

December's Scotland in UNISON is now online: Stories on engaging people in devo plans; Bhopal reports; GAMH campaign; SNP conference lobby and police cuts; OTs under stress; Lanarkshire Health PFI fight; Homelessness costs; FE colleges; Holiday pay and much more in this edition. http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/siu/index.html


  

Workers in Queensferry and East Kilbride face uncertain Christmas

IBM workers who deliver ScottishPower’s outsourced £20m IT services, face an uncertain Christmas after being told that they face further restructuring. Staff are worried that this may mean further job losses.

IT staff maintain customer services systems and infrastructure which engineers rely on when tackling power cuts.

Staff say more restructuring will further disrupt customer service support, reduce ability to respond to emergencies, delay urgent IT developments and introduce additional overheads and costs.

Malcolm Currie, Prospect negotiations officer, speaking on behalf of members working as specialists and managers in the customer care teams, said: “In the last four years this workforce have been subject to constant change, disruption and job insecurity. The workforce has already been reduced from 360 to 140. It is dismaying to see the skills of our members being taken for granted in this way. Repeated and costly upheaval can’t make good business sense, let alone show any consideration for the people and families affected.”

UNISON represents the IT workers at Queensferry and East Kilbirde. Paul Summers, Regional Organiser for UNISON North West said: “Staff here support the country’s critical national infrastructure. The planned division of the team and re-tendering will make flexible working more difficult and could worsen the security of our energy supply. There is no benefit in this change for customers or the wider public.

UNISON lambasts council ‘bully-boy’ tactics as councillors threaten closure of mental health charity

UNISON has issued an urgent call to councillors to cease plans to cut a charity’s funding by 40 per cent without any prior consultation.

Councillors are expected to make their decision at a council meeting today (Thursday) based on a report that remains unseen by Glasgow Association for Mental Health.

The charity was notified late Tuesday evening that commissioners want to hold an urgent meeting with the charity today – less than 24 hours before a decision is to be made – based on a fundamentally-flawed report that takes mental health provision in the city back to the 1970s. The city’s most vulnerable now face paying the price with a maximum of 12 weeks of support, regardless of need.

Bhopal: Terrible hardship but incredible courage and kindness

#Bhopal30 This is the day 30 years ago when the Union Carbide industrial disaster claimed 25,000 lives, left 120,000 chronically ill and continues to maim subsequent generations.

The anniversary rally took place along with a march by all the families and supporters to the Bhopal plant walls.

An excellent rally was planned and policed by the Bhopal group and supporters and this was achieved with little or no police or army presence.

It was a very hot day and water was provided at many places along the route. The rally at the wall then burned effigies of Dow and Union Carbide.

Later the screening took place of a new movie about the disaster called 'A Prayer for Rain', featuring Martin Sheen. Many of the survivors and their families attended, some having never set foot in a cinema before.

I was very moved by the fragile condition of many, yet they came and sat through an event that must have brought back horrific memories to them all.

Presented to trade unions and NDOs by the delegation.

During my time here I have witnessed some terrible hardship and deprivation. But also some incredible courage and kindness.

Sam Macartney

Torchlight march and Bhopal Disaster Museum

#Bhopal30 From Sam Macartney and Scott Donohoe in Bhopal: Tuesday began with a national solidarity meeting with families and NGOs who support the campaign.Then a visit to the workplace of the women who have taken the fight to the courts and the Indian government. They have their own trade union now but they still haven't received justice for the disaster. Next we visited the new Bhopal People's Disaster Museum. This is a tribute to those that lost their lives and those who are still suffering. It was very harrowing but very moving.

We then joined with families, activists and campaigners on a torchlight rally to the old factory walls. This was incredible. Real torches steeped in paraffin were carried through the city for about two miles. See videos by Sanjay Verma here.

The torches were kept alight during the march by men refilling these wood and metal torches with fuel. In the darkness this was a fantastic sight but I can't see this catching on in Scotland due to health and safety concerns (that's a real shame).

Finally, the hunger fast starts at midnight tonight for 30 hours signifying one hour for every year that has passed since the disaster caused by Union Carbide.

Bill Kidd MSP has lodged the following motion in the Scottish Parliament.

Fasting in solidarity with Bhopal families

UNISON's Sam Macartney will be joining friends and families of the Bhopal disaster on a 30 hour hunger fast from midnight on Tuesday until 6.00am on Thursday. "It is the least I can do after what we have seen", reported Sam. Clearly moved by what he had seen, Scott Donohoe commented: "The levels of poverty in Bhopal are truly shocking."

UNISON Scotland's Sam Macartney and Scott Donohoe are part of a trade union delegation to Bhopal to mark the 30th annivesary of the Union Carbide disaster that killed 25,000, left 120,000 chronically ill and continues to maim subsequent generations.

Yesterday they took part in a demonstration after being shown around the Bhopal Sambhavna medical aid clinic and the great facilities they have and the excellent work they are doing to support the victims of their families.

Support the Bhopal Medical Appeal

Update from Sam Macartney in Bhopal: Yes I was on a demo in India, and I and all the trade union delegates to Bhopal were honoured and and very pleased to walk with familyies and friends of the Bhopal campaign. We had joined the demo after being shown around the Bhopal Sambhavna medical aid clinic and the great facilities they have and the excellent work they are doing to support the victims of their families.

The facility also includes a clinic for children who have been poisoned by Union Carbide. The clinic (Chingari) rehab clinic supports over 200 children who have suffered due to the poison from the chemical spill from the Bhopal plant. They offer help and support with support and funding from the Bhopal medical aid campaign it is so very important that this aid continues for all concerned. You can donate to the Bhopal Medical Appeal by clicking here

Further reports will follow.
Sam Macartney, International officer, UNISON Scotland
The Chairs of UNISON Scotland’s International Committee, Sam Macartney and Health & Safety Committee, Scott Donohoe are taking part in a delegation to Bhopal, India, to mark the anniversary on 3rd December 2014 to mark the 30th anniversary of the industrial disaster that has killed 25,000, left 120,000 chronically ill and continues to maim subsequent generations. See the website for more details

Candlelight vigil held for Bhopal's second generation victims

From Sam Macartney and Scott Donohoe in Bhopal leading up to the 3 December anniversary of the disaster: 

Many events have been organised over the next three days to remember the victims of this disaster. Proceedings started on Sunday with the Mela of alternatives, an event looking at the way forward to aid the victims in the campaign. This was followed by a seminar on the medical aid issues which are ongoing. (See a backgrounf briefing on Bhopal here)

A press conference was held and organised by AmnestyIinternational chaired by their Secretary General and finally on the Sunday evening a candle light vigil was held by the second generation of victims impacted by this disaster. Their families will not forget and neither should we.

Further updates will follow as events unfold.
Sam Macartney
UNISON Scotland international committee

Cuts dont work

UNISON Scotland's analysis of the impact of austerity economics on Scotland's public services is highlighted in a column in today's Scotsman.

Dave Watson argues that, "Our public debt continues to rise, productivity is low, wages are dropping, inequality is increasing and youth unemployment is high.The idea that our present economic woes are a crisis stemming from out-of-control public finances is the neo-liberal myth of our times."

He also draws attention to UNISON Scotland's series of reports on the impact of cuts on particular groups of workers, "Unison has been systematically surveying groups of our members and the evidence is broadly the same – corners are being cut and plates are kept spinning in the hope that the whole façade doesn’t come crashing down."

Finally he sets out a better way, "We can invest so we can create demand and quality jobs, building an economic system that delivers a decent standard of life for all. We could reform our tax system to make it more progressive and crack down on tax dodgers. We need to agree that tax and public services are a good thing and value for money. We need to end the regressive council tax freeze and allow local democracy to flourish, invest in houses to rent and give Scotland a pay rise."

The full column can be read here.

UNISON statement on Smith Commission

“While there are certainly positive elements in these proposals, the package as a whole falls short of our aspirations contained in our submission to the Commission, with particular regard to job creation,
employment regulation, equalities and minimum wage. These are areas required if inequalities in society are to be addressed. We will continue to press for this”, said Mike Kirby, UNISON Scottish Secretary.
     “The reference to a durable constitutional settlement is to be welcomed, and this as Lord Smith made clear, is an agreement between political parties and has yet to be tested against the opinions and aspirations of the Scottish people. The Commission lists additional areas for consideration, and received a remarkable number of submissions, and that civic engagement must be developed as the proposals now make their way through the Westminster process.”

UNISON Scotland statement on First Minister’s programme for Government

Wed 26 Nov 2014

Mike Kirby, Scottish secretary of UNISON, said ‘UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union and we welcome the First Minister’s programme for government. There was much in Nicola Sturgeon’s statement to commend.

We welcome her commitment to protect public services and to increase NHS funding; her commitment to the living wage and to mitigate the problems of welfare reform; and her commitment to put gender equality and women’s rights at the heart of her government; and to increase childcare.

Review of local government financeUNISON also welcomed the commission to review local government finance but we are disappointed that the council tax freeze will remain in place until 2016. This freeze hits the most vulnerable people, those who need public services the most.

We need a fundamental reform of how we pay for local services. Local government is experiencing the worst of the cuts. It has lost the bulk of the jobs and it is the only sector to get a real cash cut. We can no longer pretend to get better services for less money. We favour a progressive property tax where we all pay our fair share.

UNISON condemns chief constable statement that it is ‘inevitable that more police staff face further jobs cuts next year'

Wed 26 Nov 2014

UNISON, the trade union for police civilian staff, has condemned the statement by the Chief Constable of Police Scotland that more police staff will be made redundant.

George McIrvine, secretary of UNISON police staff Scotland branch said:
"This shows UNISON is right. Civilian police staff are facing big job losses and are the victims of the Scottish Governments policy to maintain police officers while cutting £1.1bn from the police budget.  Both the chief constable and Scottish Justice Secretary are hiding behind the political statement to ‘maintain 17,234 police officers’ to pretend they are meeting the public’s priorities. This means the £1.1bn police cuts will decimate civilian police staff jobs."

George continued:
"We have built a modern balanced Scottish police force of hard working, high skilled civilians who are value for money and work side by side with our police officers to fight crime. Finger print officers, crime scene investigators, anti-fraud officers, intelligence analysis, forensics, legal clerical, custody officers, community safety officers, call centre staff and many more. These people have local knowledge and high technical skills and have reduced crime to its lowest level ever.  The police service will not survive this outdated political pledge, it is death by 1000 officers."

Gerry Crawley UNISON police staff organiser said: 
“The cuts confirmed today will take policing back to the 1970s, which will mean 1970s levels of crime. Civilian police staff are paying the price of the £1.1bn Scottish Government cuts. Frankly it’s the worst gutter politics. Ministers and senior police protecting their own jobs over hard working civilian police staff who actually fight crime on our streets. Just so they can say to the public we are ‘maintaining 1000 extra police officers’. UNISON will not stand by and see our modern police force decimated like this. The public need to recognise that a £1.1bn cut means losing every civilian post in the police force. Which will mean a rise in crime.  It's politicians and top police putting their own job security over public safety.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor

1. Sir Stephen House gave evidence to MSPs yesterday 25 November 2014, along with the new justice secretary, Michael Matheson. Scotland's top police officer has said force support staff face further job cuts next year. Police Scotland Chief Constable Sir Stephen House said he was confident of making a target to save £1.1bn by 2026.But he warned the path ahead was "not smooth" and said every area, apart from police officer numbers, would be considered in the drive for savings. See: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-30198580

2. UNISON is the biggest trade union in Scotland, and we are the biggest trade union representing police staff

3. Police staff stay in the job longer, specialise and advance in particular areas of work and are better value for public money. A police officer filling in the jobs left by redundant police staff costs the public more and takes an officer off of the street and putting them behind a desk. What’s the sense in that?

Enter the UNISON Scotland Communications Awards

Share your best practice, your innovative ideas and most of all your enthusiasm and enter the UNISON Scotland 2014/15 Communications Awards. Help build a stronger union and get some well-deserved recognition for all your hard work.

Closing date is Wednesday 14 January 2015 and an entry form, poster and all the details are on the website at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/comms/competition/index.html

Thanks again to the UNISON family of sponsors:
UiA Insurance
Thompsons Solicitors Scotland
Liverpool Victoria
Lighthouse Financial Advice
TC Branding

UNISON on The Vale of Leven Hospital Inquiry report

Commenting on the long-awaited independent inquiry into patient deaths at the Vale of Leven Hospital which was published today (Monday) UNISON regional organiser, Matt McLaughlin, said:

“The outbreak of C difficile at Vale of Leven in 2007/08 was tragic and, even this long after the deaths, our thoughts must be with the people who lost relatives and friends because of the failures set out in Lord MacLean’s report.

“Public service workers don’t go to work and expect to find themselves at the centre of such heartbreaking and difficult circumstances. Our members want to help people get better and we are pleased this report recognises the reasons for this tragedy were systemic, rather than person-centred.

Glasgow Association of Mental Health Demonstration

Around 500 people attended the demo on Wednesday 12 November 2014, where UNISON members, service users and members of the public took the message to Glasgow City Councillors that cuts to Glasgow Association of Mental Health (GAMH) services will cost lives. Our demo made the morning radio, press and STV television and we are on the front page of Third Force News where the headline is ‘Cuts Will Cost Lives’!

A small delegation met with Cllr Malcolm Cunning before the demo and he assured representatives from UNISON, GAMH and service users that no political decision has yet been made on the proposed 40% cut to GAMH budgets. The support shown by people from across Glasgow at the demonstration yesterday will have given Cllr Cunning and his colleagues much food for thought and we expect to have further discussions in due course before any firm decisions are taken.

So on this front alone, our campaign has already had an impact as we expected the 40% cuts to have been confirmed by now. We continue to collect petitions and have collected over 2500 signatures to stop GAMH cuts. Please keep up the good work and keep those signatures coming as the political pressure key to preventing the scale of the cuts proposed from happening. The campaign strategy committee will be meeting on Tuesday 18th November to discuss our next steps and we will issue more information then.

Finally, a big thanks is due to everyone who attended and helped out on the day – there are genuinely too many to thank individually. A special thank you is required for our speakers on the day, Julie Ballantyne, Cathy Miller and Brian Smith from UNISON. We also need to thank the UNSION NHS CVS Branch for their financial support with the flags and t-shirts and the UNISON Glasgow City Branch for their support and the use of their PA system. A final special thanks has to go to the GAMH service users who made their own placards and banners – this really added colour to the day.

GAMH Cuts Will Cost Lives!

Important Holiday Pay Claims Update - 3 months ruling

On 4 November 2014 the Employment Appeal Tribunal decided three test cases on holiday pay claims.

The judge confirmed that regular additional payments such as overtime should be included in the calculation of holiday pay. The ruling only applies to holiday pay guaranteed under the Working Time Directive which covers the first 20 days of annual leave each year.

This means that going forward employers will have to work out what an employee has actually earned and reflect this in pay when the employee takes annual leave.

The judgement also contained a surprise ruling that significantly restricts the ability to claim back pay for previous underpaid annual leave.

Any claim for unpaid wages has to be made within three months of the underpayment. Claims can be made for a series of underpayments, but only if there is less than 3 months between underpayments.

The EAT decision may be appealed but for now any underpayments must be linked by gaps of less than three months in order to form a series for back pay claims. Click here for more details, examples and action to take if you think you are affected ...

Under pressure – UNISON survey shows Scotland’s occupational therapists struggling to maintain service

Tue 11 Nov 2014

A report out today (Tuesday 11 Nov 2014) by UNISON shows that Scotland’s occupational therapists are struggling to maintain the level of service their patients need in light of budget cuts and staffing shortages.

Those surveyed in the report – Under Pressure: Scotland’s occupational therapists speak out – said they had huge concerns about the impact cuts are having on the service. An overwhelming majority (82%) reported increased workloads, 60% reported having to cope with reduced members of staff and almost half (48%) reported funding cuts.

There were recurring themes among the concerns: assessments being overruled because of resource pressures; and failure by management to replace absent colleagues, specifically for maternity leave which, given the virtually all-female composition of the workforce, is more common than in many other groups of staff. When asked if they regularly worked more than their contracted hours 60% of respondents said they did – an extra five hours a week was the average. While the majority (58%) of respondents reported their standard of living had dropped in the last 3-4 years. 

‘Cuts cost lives’ says UNISON – campaigners lobby Glasgow City Council over savage cuts to mental health charity

Tue 11 Nov 2014

Staff, service users, community groups and members of the public will gather in George Square tomorrow (Wednesday 12 November) to lobby Glasgow City Council over its plans to cut a charity’s funding by 40%.

The scale of these savage cuts are likely to force Glasgow Association for Mental Health (GAMH) – which receives nearly all of its funding from the council – to close, risking the lives of hundreds of vulnerable adults across the city.

Chrissy McKeag, a project worker at GAMH, said: 
“We provide essential support - emotional, social and practical - to those who experience mental health difficulties across Glasgow. The support we offer transforms people’s lives and helps to prevent them from developing problems that are likely to require costly help and support from statutory services such as health, housing and criminal justice. Savage cuts of this level will leave Glasgow’s most vulnerable with nowhere to turn and end up costing the city much more in the long run.”

New Scotland in UNISON online

Austerity economics don’t add up, vote yes to keep your union’s voice, 18 October rally report, devolution submission, campaign against NHS PFI, violence against staff doubles, retired member wins claim, Bhopal remembered, celebrate learning and much more in this issue. http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/siu/index.html

LG Pay Scotland - Members vote to accept

The Scottish Local Government pay ballot closed yesterday and the results were as follows: Members voted 70.8% to accept and 29.2% to reject the revised pay offer. The LG committee meets tomorrow 5 November. A further update will be circulated thereafter.

Holiday Pay Claims Important Update

Since our earlier briefings on holiday pay claims, a number of employers have attempted to limit their liability for back pay by including additional money for holiday pay in workers’ pay.

This triggers the time limit for claims with the effect that many claims may go out of time. Where this has been done by a large employer like a local authority, you will already have received advice from UNISON.

If your pay now includes an element of additional pay, the time for bringing a claim will have started from the date on which you were last underpaid holiday pay. If there are more than three months since the last time holiday pay did not include additional sums, then you will be unable to pursue a claim.

Your branch will be sending out a more detailed briefing very soon, but you should contact them now if you think you are running out of time because your employer has made additional payments for past underpaid holidays. More details at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/holidaypay.html

UNISON Labour Link Scotland backs Katy Clark MP for Scottish Labour Deputy Leader

UNISON, Scotland’s largesttrade union, has given its backing to Katy Clark MP in the contest for the nextScottish Labour Deputy leader.

UNISONScotland Labour Link Chair Gordon McKay said:

"KatyClark has a great record of campaigning on the issues that matter to UNISONmembers in Scotland. On public services, employment rights, pensions, inequalityand many other concerns."

"Herviews have remained consistent with Labour’s traditions and values and that isvital if Scottish Labour is to build its support in Scotland. Katy has shownbefore and after becoming an MP that she is on the side of working people."

Responding today to the announcement that UNISON Scotland Labour Link has decided to support her campaign for Deputy Leader of the Scottish Labour Party, Katy Clark said,

 

"I warmly welcome this decision and the fact that thousands of trade unionists will be participating in this election which is a real opportunity for the leadership and deputy leadership candidates to engage with the thousands of trade unionists up and down the country who will have a vote on who leads Scottish Labour. Trade union members and Labour Party members have a shared agenda of wanting a Scottish Labour Party which fights to defend and improve public services and living standards. Scottish Labour needs to listen to what trade union members are saying. I hope that this contest will see a genuine debate as to how we can build stronger links between Scottish Labour and the trade union movement and trade union members."

Vote YES to keep your union’s voice

UNISON Scotland is urging all members to defend the union’s campaigning voice by voting ‘yes’ to keep its unique political fund. The ballot runs from 1-30 November.

Mike Kirby, UNISON Scottish secretary explains: “Like all trade unions, UNISON is required in law to have a political fund for campaigning generally and specifically to affiliate or donate to any political party.

UNISON Scotland Labour Link backs Neil Findlay for Scottish Labour Leader

UNISON, Scotland’s largest trade union, has given its backing to Neil Findlay MSP in the contest for the next Scottish Labour leader. This followed a hustings event in Glasgow today (1 November 2014) at the UNISON annual Labour Link Forum.

Members were impressed by the analysis from both Sarah Boyack and Neil Findlay of the challenges facing Scottish Labour and need for a new approach.

UNISON Scotland Labour Link Chair Gordon McKay said:

“Members have been hugely impressed with Neil Findlay since he became an MSP and in particular as Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing. Neil understands that politics as usual isn’t good enough and we believe he offers a fresh approach with a real experience and understanding of the concerns of working people”.

“At today’s meeting Neil Findlay outlined a radical new policy approach that will be welcomed by our members.”

 

ENDS Note for editors:

Labour Link is UNISON’s affiliated political fund.

For further information please contact:

Dave Watson, UNISON Scottish Organiser, on 07958 122409