Lay edited bi-monthly bulletin for 5,000 activists in Scotland

December 2010 No 88

It’s time to turn despair into anger
It is time to turn the despair of assaults on public services into anger, UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis told Scottish branches on 4 December as he announced a £10 million fighting fund to take the campaign forward.

Lobby your MP to fight the pensions CPI switch
UNISON is urging members to fight the Government’s plan to revalue state benefits and public sector pensions by the Consumer Price Index rather than the Retail Price Index. The CPI is generally 0.8% per annum less than the RPI.

Tell a pal - an tell an MSP
There is a real alternative to cuts in public services but we need to spread the word and get as many people contacting their MSPs as possible. .

It’s all change at the top for UNISON in Scotland
Mike Kirby, Scotland’s leading lay activist, formally took over from Matt Smith as Scotland’s lead full time official this month.

End of an era as Matt moves on
Scottish Secretary, Matt Smith, who leaves UNISON at the end of 2010, has been the union’s leading figure in Scotland since merger in 1993.

Staff not protected at work
An annual survey of violence at work by UNISON Scotland has revealed an increase of over 3,000 assaults when compared with last year.

UNISON welcomes West Dunbarton ‘living wage’
UNISON Scotland has warmly welcomed an announcement by West Dunbartonshire Council to introduce a Living Wage for its staff.

Awards recognise public service workers
As the public sector comes more and more under attack, two sets of awards, backed by UNISON, have recognised the excellent work of public service staff.

Cutting police staff will take officers off the street
UNISON Scotland has issued a stark warning to MSPs – cut police staff and you cut frontline services.

Social Work College deal
UNISON and the College of Social Work in England have signed up in principle for the union to represent College members, with the College providing professional advice services to social workers in UNISON.

Snow: Public service workers at their best
As extreme snow conditions hit hard, public service workers across the country have as usual responded above and beyond the call.

Campaign skills festival huge success
Over 100 activists, staff and community activists from across Scotland took part in UNISON Scotland’s ‘Mobilise’ campaigning festival at the STUC in Glasgow last month.

Hospital parking fees ‘a tax on sick’ Marie tells TUC
Hospital car parking charges are ‘a tax on the sick’ Marie Garrity, chair of NHS Glasgow, Clyde and CVS Branch, told the TUC Congress in September.

UNISON member’s world-beating daughter
UNISON member Carmel Miley, from the Aberdeenshire Branch, has good reason to be very proud of her daughter, Hannah. In October, the 21 year old swimmer became the first Scottish woman to take gold in the 400m individual medley at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

Showing Racism the Red Card in supporters owned club
Such a success has UNISON Stirling’s sponsorship of two ‘Young Reds’ under 10s teams been, that it has added a third.

Equalities at the heart of the union
Over the last few years UNISON has focused on Equal Pay. The time is now right to look at the equality strands as a whole. To help with this branches need specific resources to campaign on equalities issues and in particular LGBT Issues.

Learning leads to a Better Way
Look out for Phillipa Clark’s report in the next issue on learning initiatives in the Highlands, promoting the STUC ‘Better Way’ campaign.

Scotland wide anti-cuts alliance?
A very positive meeting of anti-cuts campaigns and trade unionists took place in Glasgow on Saturday 6 November.

Grum’s on the NEC
UNISON Scotland young member and Lothian Health Branch member Graham (Grum) Smith has been elected to the Young Member’s seat on the union’s top body, the National Executive Council.

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