Three national awards for Scotland
 
Kate Ramsden (left, Aberdeenshire) won runner up for the best campaign
in the national awards and Jane Aitchison (South Lanarkshire) won
a highly commended for the best magazine. Edinburgh got a merit
(or as some said unkindly, a ‘long service' award.
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Well done Nancy
 Hasn't
Scotland's Nancy Coull had a great Conference in the chair?
A light but firm touch. A gentle and sometimes cheeky humour and
a commitment to Conference shone throughout the week.
Nancy was born in Kennoway, Fife. Her father was a mineworker (now
deceased) and her mother a spinning mill worker, both from Lanarkshire.
She was educated at the local primary school, then at Buckhaven
High School and left school at 17 with nine 'O' levels. Nancy's
first job was with the local town council as a shorthand/typist
clerkess and it was then that she joined NALGO.
After a few years she left to have her family. In 1990, she returned
to the public services and joined NUPE and the Labour Party.
Shortly afterwards, she was "coerced" into becoming a steward and
became active at Scottish level. She was persuaded to stand at the
elections for the first ever seats reserved for low-paid women on
the UNISON NEC in 1995 and was elected unopposed.
Nancy has been chair of the union's political committee since
1997 and was elected to the Labour Party national executive council
in October 2001 as one of UNISON's two representatives.
Nancy steps down after Conference and we wish her all the best
for the future.
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Bye Bye Brighton
It's been a good day this week.
Wednesday saw the best of Conference with a real debate on the
political funds. But after that, it did get a wee bit shaky.
However, the passion of Stephen Lewis' contribution as UN special
envoy on HIV/AIDS will live with many of us for a long time.
As usual Scotland played a major part in all the big debates. Jane
Carolan, Mike Kirby and Pat Rowland to name just a few. Karie Murphy
and David Connor played major roles on opposite sides of the political
fund debate.
The political fund debate was on object lesson on how important
organisation is. When Conference takes control itself things go
much better.
Dave Prentis has fair risen to the gen sec role as he laid down
important pointers for our future and most important of all, laid
down our uncompromising fight against racism.
As the country's biggest union, we have taken the lead in setting
the public service agenda. We have lots to be proud of over the
last 10 years. Not least should be the pride in merging three cultures
into a new progressive union. That took perseverance, patience,
organisation and trust - but it could not have been achieved without
the goodwill and commitment of activists.
Now we've set the public services agenda, we need to set the political
agenda. There was a clear signal from the leadership that this is
exactly what we are going to do.
We have so much untapped influence in the Labour Party. Hopefully
the call for us to get involved locally and push for UNISON's policies
in the party, will see that influence bring results.
This is my 20th conference. They always infuriate me, they always
surprise me, they always bore me, they always excite me. They always
give me hangovers. If you are a new delegate, I bet you recognise
all of these.
But they also offer the opportunity to meet fellow activists from
around the country - and around the world - to listen, to learn,
to debate, and most of all to organise. Conference is not a spectator
sport, it needs us to organise and take responsibility for it -
that's when it works best.
This conference, despite the light agenda, despite the usual political
posturing and despite the occasional rogue decision, does seem to
have reflected a union with a new confidence, a new self-assurance
that will make the year ahead fascinating - or am I just an old
romantic?
John Stevenson, webmanager
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Education a right, not a privilege
Conference demanded that top up fees should not be introduced and
to support the campaign against tuition fees.
"This government's battle cry used to be "Education, Education,
Education - it is now "Reform, Reform, Reform”, said Kevin Duguid
speaking on a composite which included Edinburgh and Glasgow.
"Let's reclaim that original battle cry and lets education this
government that reform doesn't mean cuts in terms and conditions.
"Educate them that reform doesn't mean PFI, PPP and privatisation.
"Educate them that reform doesn't mean education becomes a privilege
rather than a right”.
Glasgow's Andrew Burns, with his usual masterful touch, accused
Edinburgh of stealing his speech. This is untrue, they bought it.
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