UNISON home
UNISONScotland www
This is our archive website that is no longer being updated.
For the new website please go to
www.unison-scotland.org
Join UNISON
Join UNISON
Click here
Home News About us Join Us Contacts Help Resources Learning Links UNISON UK

The Scottish Referendum Campaign: Click here for statement on UNISON Policy
Useful links
Better Together
Common Weal
Future of UK and Scotland (ESRC)
Devo Plus
Radical Independence
Red Paper
Scotland's Future - Scottish Government white paper Nov 2013
Yes Scotland

NB These links above to sites relating to referendum campaigns are not UNISON resources

UNISON resources
A Fairer Scotland
(report pdf Nov 2012)
Getting A Fairer Scotland: some key questions
(leaflet pdf Nov 2012)
UNISON ‘For a Fairer Scotland’ - final discussion draft
October 2012 (pdf)
Constitutional Change Events - UNISON + STUC Autumn 2012 (pdf)
Scotland inUNISON August 2012 (pdf)
Debate at UNISON Conference June 2012
Debate at STUC in Dundee
April 2012
Response to Government Consultation Mar 2012 (pdf)
Referendum and Constitutional Change Policy Briefing Feb 2012 (pdf)
   

Scotland's Future Home

A Just Scotland - STUC

STUC A Just Scotland

A Just Scotland
What is the best way to achieve social justice in Scotland?
The STUC and its affiliated unions working alongside civic groups, is promoting a discussion on Scotland’s future.

25 Nov: A Just Scotland interim report pdf

25 Nov: A Just Scotland press release

Click here for the A Just Scotland website with briefing papers, dates of consultations etc.....
STUC community events around Scotland
took place in these locations:
Glasgow 1 September
Dumfries 8 September
Inverness 15 September
Edinburgh 22 September
Dundee 29 September

More details on STUC community events here
 

 

 

 

Scotland's future

Motion 93 carried by UNISON National Delegate Conference 2014

Conference notes the Scottish Government has published its White Paper on Independence, their proposal to promote a ‘Yes’ vote in the Referendum to take place on 18 September 2014.

The document covers matters arising from Scotland becoming an independent country like currency and international relations, in addition, it sets out a policy prospectus if the SNP Government are the first government of an independent Scotland.

At this stage, the Unionist/Enhanced Devolution campaigns of the cross-party Better Together and United with Labour, have produced no specific proposals other than the status quo.

UNISON rules devolve to regions policy making responsibility in relation to devolved administrations, while maintaining the integrity and unity of the trade union in accordance with the Protocol issued under Rule D.2.9.5.

UNISON would wish to compare and contrast the positions of the various campaigns and parties with regard to a range of issues affecting our members, at work and in the community. In common with the STUC and the large majority of the trade union movement in Scotland, our approach has been determined less by what power and where it lies, and more in whose interest and for what purpose power is exercised.

UNISON's approach to constitutional questions is driven by the interests of our members, by the sort of Scotland we want and deserve to live in. This means that for us, precise constitutional arrangements are the end point and not the starting point of the debate. We must first define the sort of Scotland we wish to see and then examine the likelihood of differing constitutional arrangements on offer to deliver on that vision. In that regard we welcome the UNISON Scotland publications, A Fairer Scotland and Fairer Scotland and Devolutionn, as valuable contributions to the debate.

UNISON has been a long standing supporter of the campaign for devolution, for the establishment of a Scottish Parliament and for the "Yes-Yes" referendum campaign which followed the 1997 General Election.

However, this debate is quite different. In the late 1990s there was a very powerful and broadly supported argument in favour of devolution from the UK Government's Scottish Office ”to a democratic government elected by the people of Scotland.

In the debate which surrounds the 2014 referendum, the Scottish People and Scottish public service workers will be asking questions on which option will be best for working people and their families in Scotland. The answers to these questions are likely to be less clearly defined and subject to significant differences of view across the spectrum of opinion in the country and the UNISON membership.

It may be difficult to come to a clear view as to the effects of the referendum options on the Scottish economy, Scotland's public services and on Scotland as a whole. As such, UNISON Scotland will continue to press the various parties and organisations in the debate on the issues of importance to our members at work, to the services they provide and the communities they live in, encouraging the fullest engagement of our members in the debates, while respecting the diversity of views of the members which they will register in the Referendum.

Regardless of the outcome of the referendum UNISON members in Scotland will continue to have common interests with UNISON members throughout the UK. UNISON will continue to seek to build the strongest possible union for the benefits of all UNISON members in these four nations.

Top