Lay edited bi-monthly bulletin for 5,000 activists in
Scotland |
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April/May
2007 No 66
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Democracy Investment Fairness Excellence
Partnership: You VALUE it so VOTE for it. Use your vote on
3 May
As UNISON stepped up its campaign
to put public services at the top of the election agenda,
General Secretary Dave Prentis has called for the elections
to focus on public services rather than a constitutional debate.
Election campaign steps up a gear
UNISON's election campaign highlighted in
the last issue of SiU, has stepped up activity with the start
of the campaign proper.
Stopping the BNP during the elections
UNISON wants to make clear to members and
the public the dangers posed by the British National Party
(BNP) who have announced for the first time that they will
contest every regional list in the forthcoming Scottish Parliament
elections.
Quarriers staff vote two to one for strike
UNISON members working for Quarriers, one
of Scotland's biggest charities, have voted by two to one
to take strike action in their dispute over pay.
STUC Glasgow 2007
Reports by John Stevenson, Kate Ramsden and Chris Bartter
Restore pensions link now and final salary
schemes for all, says president
UNISON President Malcolm Cantello won STUC
backing for a campaign to urge government to immediately restore
the link between pensions and earnings and close the gender
pay gap. And he called for "good-quality, affordable final-salary
pension schemes in both the private and public sector." .
Statutory pay audits needed in public
and private sector
UNISON backed an STUC statement welcoming
statutory pay audits in the public sector and calling for
the law to be extended to the private sector.
Unions demand protection for vulnerable
workers
STUC delegates exposed the exploitation faced
by vulnerable workers and demanded changes in the law to protect
them. .
Investment and healthy public sector
key to manufacturing growth
The government must take urgent action to build investment
and training strategies to halt the decline in manufacturing
industry.
President Katrina puts services in election
focus
UNISON's Katrina Purcell was this year's
STUC president and she used her address to underline what
people wanted from their parliament at the election. .
Scotland's water is not for sale
Scottish Organiser Dave Watson called on
the STUC "to send a clear message that Scotland's water is
not for sale - privatised or mutualised. .
Action to end mental health discrimination
The STUC will campaign to combat discrimination
on the grounds of mental health and will ensure that union
reps have the knowledge and skills to negotiate policies in
the workplace to support and retain members with mental health
difficulties. .
Access to Work must stay
The STUC will campaign against plans to withdraw
the Access to Work scheme from public bodies. .
New Culture Bill is a 'missed opportunity'
Unions are to push the Scottish Executive
to increase spending on culture to 1% of its budget Backing
an Equity and Musicians Union move, UNISON's John Stevenson
welcomed much of the Draft Culture Bill but branded parts
of it as a 'missed opportunity', with 'laudable aims' not
matched by the fine print.
Bring back FE national bargaining
The STUC backed calls for a return to national
bargaining in the Further Education sector and laid down a
marker that it would not accept top-up fees in Scotland.
Replacing Trident could cost 3,000 jobs
For humanity's sake, say no to Trident, says Matt Smith
Matt Smith, Scottish Secretary of UNISON,
condemned the Government decision to replace Britain's Trident
nuclear fleet and pointed to a recent report that demolishes
the claims that failing to replace Trident would lead to job
losses.
Support resistance on both sides, Israel
and Palestine
UNISON spearheaded a call at the STUC for
increased efforts by the UK to take forward the Middle East
peace process in line with UN Security Council resolutions.
Support for Iraqi trade unions and to lift Cuba blockade
also called for.
Invest in social housing
The government cannot claim to be tackling
inequality until it puts housing back at the heart of economic
and social policy. This was UNISON's Jane Carolan's message
to the STUC in the housing debate. .
UNISON pushes members' role in Education
While increased spending was welcomed, the
STUC called for more investment is in Education. UNISON's
Pat Rowland highlighted the Equal Opportunities Commission
investigation into the "shockingly low pay" of classroom assistants.
Invest in elderly care
Local authorities must commit to upgrading
residential establishments, improve training and ensure private
homes are strictly monitored, UNISON's Sam McCartney told
the STUC.
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Time to get equal - and make sure your
election candidates do too
A successful launch of the Time to Get Equal
Campaign took place on International Women's Day (March 8)
at the Scottish Parliament. Cathie Peattie MSP, Glyn Hawker
and Stephanie Herd all spoke at a meeting in the Parliament
attended by branch reps and MSPs.
Nominations sought for The Zero Tolerance
Awards of 2007
For the first time UNISONScotland is sponsoring
one of the Awards made by The Zero Tolerance Charitable Trust.
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Scotland's
public service union
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