We say the only sustainable response to the crisis is to promote growth and ensure fairness through creating jobs and protecting services, through fair taxation and a living wage.
UNISON is supporting the Scottish Trade Union Congress (STUC) organised campaign - 'There is a better way' - and a forthcoming demonstration in Edinburgh on Saturday 23rd October 2010. We would encourage ALL members and their families to attend this demonstration. Travel arrangements will be publicised nearer the time, so keep checking back or contact your steward about attending.
Wednesday, 8 September 2010
Tuesday, 7 September 2010
JOIN THE CAMPAIGN FOR JOBS, SERVICES, FAIRER TAXES & A LIVING WAGE
The Con-Dem government say there is no alternative.
Monday, 6 September 2010
UNISON writes to Mungo Foundation Chief Executive Dana O’Dwyer and Chair of the Board Archbishop Conti Seeking Meetings to Discuss Concerns
On Friday 3rd September following a meeting of UNISON stewards UNISON Regional Organiser Simon Macfarlane wrote to The Chief Exec and Chair of the Mungo Foundation to express UNISON’s concerns in 3 key areas, these were:
1) Pay - we submitted a pay claim on 10 June 2010 for the Living Wage of £7, now £7.15 p/h to be the lowest rate in The Mungo Foundation with 2.5% for those above it. Given members had no rise last year we feel this is a very reasonable claim. We are concerned that to date we have had no formal response on this. You can find out more info on the living wage here and the full claim is also on the blog. On our blog you will also find info on what some faith based organisations are doing regarding the living wage and if you are a member of such an organisation we would encourage you to raise this there.
2) Restructuring in learning disability services in Glasgow - we have raised concerns about the consultation process, in particular we are seeking clarity on the salary scale for the new project assistant post they want to introduce in these services. We need members to have the fullest information possible and we are not comfortable this is the case at present. At some stage we may well need to consult formally members in the projects affected. Please can you call UNISON direct on 0845 355 0845 and check that your membership record has your workplace properly recorded (note if you move following this restructure you’ll need to update it again).
3) Progress on other issues. We have been pursuing a number of issues such as sleepover length for some time. We are concerned about the lack of progress on these issues.
For all of the above reasons we think it would be helpful to meet with the Chief Executive and the Board. We are meeting management on 8th September and will update the blog following that on where we are at.
On a positive note TMF have agreed to trial out having one of UNISON’s stewards acting as a convenor 3 days a week for 6 months. Alice Lyness has been elected to fill this position, the details still need to be worked out. In the first instance members should continue to contact their local steward wherw they have one, Alice can be contacted on alicelyness@fsmail.net or 07882551134.
At this time we need to be as strong as possible so please encourage non member colleagues to join, they can do so by calling 0845 355 0845 or online at www.unison.org.uk/join .
Friday, 3 September 2010
Is your church paying a Living Wage?
UNISON receives information from many varied sources, one of these is the Church Action on Poverty who are running a campaign called 'Closing the Gap'. The 'Close the Gap' campaign encourages individuals to participate in the campaign against the ever widening pay gap between rich and poor in the UK which is greater now than at any time in the past 40 years. We need your help to tell those in power that it's time to Close the Gap.
Please read the information below, we would encourage all members involved in faith-based organisations to raise the issue of the living wage within those organisations and seek that they adopt the living wage if they have employees.
Each year, the level of the Living Wage gets reviewed and updated. It has now gone up from £7.14 an hour to £7.60. In London it is now £7.85 and in Scotland £7.15.
It is a sad fact that pay below this level is poverty wages. We believe that work should pay enough to lift people out of poverty. Thousands of hard-working families are still in poverty because people are paid just the National Minimum Wage. For Christians, this denigrates the fundamental dignity of humanity. It is an important issue of social justice to stand with people and families who are working hard but still in poverty.
Take action to stop this:
1. Make sure the administrators and cleaners at your church or employer are paid the Living Wage.
2. Ask your church leaders if they plan to implement the updated Living Wage across your area.
More information about the Living Wage is available on the Church Action on Poverty website.
Cranking up the campaign - Methodists lead the way
This summer's Methodist Conference saw them agree to require all Methodist churches and projects to pay the Living Wage by the end of this financial year, except in very exceptional circumstances. This has already lifted a significant number of lay workers out of 'in-work poverty'. This is the culmination of almost 10 years of work by Church Action on Poverty, and we pass on our congratulations to the Methodists. There is still a big job ahead to make sure the many churches and 600 Circuits adopt it.
Not far behind, the Baptists, the United Reformed Church, the Church of Scotland, and the Quakers are all publicly committed to the principle.
However, neither of the two largest denominations - the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England – has taken serious steps towards respecting their low-paid workers with a Living Wage. We will be in touch soon asking you to contact the Anglican or Roman Catholic bishops in your diocese.
Please read the information below, we would encourage all members involved in faith-based organisations to raise the issue of the living wage within those organisations and seek that they adopt the living wage if they have employees.
Each year, the level of the Living Wage gets reviewed and updated. It has now gone up from £7.14 an hour to £7.60. In London it is now £7.85 and in Scotland £7.15.
It is a sad fact that pay below this level is poverty wages. We believe that work should pay enough to lift people out of poverty. Thousands of hard-working families are still in poverty because people are paid just the National Minimum Wage. For Christians, this denigrates the fundamental dignity of humanity. It is an important issue of social justice to stand with people and families who are working hard but still in poverty.
Take action to stop this:
1. Make sure the administrators and cleaners at your church or employer are paid the Living Wage.
2. Ask your church leaders if they plan to implement the updated Living Wage across your area.
More information about the Living Wage is available on the Church Action on Poverty website.
Cranking up the campaign - Methodists lead the way
This summer's Methodist Conference saw them agree to require all Methodist churches and projects to pay the Living Wage by the end of this financial year, except in very exceptional circumstances. This has already lifted a significant number of lay workers out of 'in-work poverty'. This is the culmination of almost 10 years of work by Church Action on Poverty, and we pass on our congratulations to the Methodists. There is still a big job ahead to make sure the many churches and 600 Circuits adopt it.
Not far behind, the Baptists, the United Reformed Church, the Church of Scotland, and the Quakers are all publicly committed to the principle.
However, neither of the two largest denominations - the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England – has taken serious steps towards respecting their low-paid workers with a Living Wage. We will be in touch soon asking you to contact the Anglican or Roman Catholic bishops in your diocese.
Monday, 23 August 2010
Defend Glasgow Services
The DEFEND GLASGOW SERVICES campaign has called a PUBLIC meeting on
Who is the Defend Glasgow Services (DGS)Campaign
The DGS campaign unites public sector trade unions, public services workers and community organisations. Glasgow City Council and its Arms Length Organisations intend to make significant cuts to services over the next three years. Our NHS is under attack. Support to the unemployed and disabled is threatened. Grants to community organisations are being slashed. The citizens of Glasgow should not be asked to pay for the bail out of the banks and the mistakes of greedy bankers.
The campaign is co-ordinated by UNISON Glasgow City Branch, Public Services Trade Union
Tel 0141.552.7069 email
Campaign aims
• Defend Public Sector jobs & services
• No to cuts in public spending
• Oppose the privatisation of public services.
• Tax the banks and financial institutions that caused the crisis. End tax avoidance by the super-rich and make them pay their fair share.
• For a united campaign of public services workers, community/ voluntary organisations and service user groups to defend Glasgow’s services.
THURSDAY 9TH SEPTEMBER
7.30 PM
Glasgow city UNISON branch office
4th Floor
18 Albion Street
Candleriggs
Glasgow
ALL WELCOME
The DGS campaign unites public sector trade unions, public services workers and community organisations. Glasgow City Council and its Arms Length Organisations intend to make significant cuts to services over the next three years. Our NHS is under attack. Support to the unemployed and disabled is threatened. Grants to community organisations are being slashed. The citizens of Glasgow should not be asked to pay for the bail out of the banks and the mistakes of greedy bankers.
The campaign is co-ordinated by UNISON Glasgow City Branch, Public Services Trade Union
Tel 0141.552.7069 email
Campaign aims
• Defend Public Sector jobs & services
• No to cuts in public spending
• Oppose the privatisation of public services.
• Tax the banks and financial institutions that caused the crisis. End tax avoidance by the super-rich and make them pay their fair share.
• For a united campaign of public services workers, community/ voluntary organisations and service user groups to defend Glasgow’s services.
Friday, 13 August 2010
Items under discussion with TMF
UNISON are currently in negotiation with TMF over the the sleepover policy and rota provision.
We have attached draft versions of both policies the comments in bold represent additions/changes we are seeking.
If you have any comments on the policies please contact Alice Lyness.
We have attached draft versions of both policies the comments in bold represent additions/changes we are seeking.
If you have any comments on the policies please contact Alice Lyness.
Wednesday, 28 July 2010
Families to bail out banks
"The government has decided that women, families and children will bear the brunt of cutting the deficit," Ruth Lister, head of social policy at Loughborough University told a TUC forum on 22nd July 2010.
Although the government claims that the emergency budget is fair, the combined effect of changes to benefits and service cuts is hitting the poorest hardest, especially low paid women workers and their families.
The Chancellor has claimed that the budget will "have no adverse impact on child poverty".
But, according to research by Ms Lister, the government is asking families with children to make an additional contribution that others are not paying.
"Gender and family friendliness are vitally important when we're talking about passing the fairness test," said Ms Lister.
"The conservative manifesto promised to 'make Britain the most family-friendly country in Europe'," she said, "yet there seems to have been no assessment of how the budget will affect the coalition's family-friendly agenda".
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has recently advised the Treasury of its legal obligation to carry out an equality impact assessment of the budget.
"We need to remind the government of its duties to do an equality impact assessment of the emergency budget, and the spending review expected later this year," said Ms Lister.
Cuts to services announced in the budget, and housing benefit changes, will also hit women hardest. Research commissioned by UNISON, shows that service cuts will mean the poorest tenth of households will lose the equivalent of 20.5% of their household income, whilst the richest tenth will lose just 1.6%.
Service cuts will be particularly harsh for low-paid women, who make up most of the public sector workforce, and their families and children.
Low paid workers, who already face pay freezes and job cuts, will now also see their services and household income cut.
The government is planning to cap and put restrictions on housing benefit, which many hard-working low-income families depend on to meet rising housing costs.
Freezing of child benefit, and focusing on Child Tax Credits, which will be reduced and withdrawn from many families also indicates a shift in government policy from universal to means-tested benefits for families and children, warned Ms Lister.
Although the government claims that the emergency budget is fair, the combined effect of changes to benefits and service cuts is hitting the poorest hardest, especially low paid women workers and their families.
The Chancellor has claimed that the budget will "have no adverse impact on child poverty".
But, according to research by Ms Lister, the government is asking families with children to make an additional contribution that others are not paying.
"Gender and family friendliness are vitally important when we're talking about passing the fairness test," said Ms Lister.
"The conservative manifesto promised to 'make Britain the most family-friendly country in Europe'," she said, "yet there seems to have been no assessment of how the budget will affect the coalition's family-friendly agenda".
The Equality and Human Rights Commission has recently advised the Treasury of its legal obligation to carry out an equality impact assessment of the budget.
"We need to remind the government of its duties to do an equality impact assessment of the emergency budget, and the spending review expected later this year," said Ms Lister.
Cuts to services announced in the budget, and housing benefit changes, will also hit women hardest. Research commissioned by UNISON, shows that service cuts will mean the poorest tenth of households will lose the equivalent of 20.5% of their household income, whilst the richest tenth will lose just 1.6%.
Service cuts will be particularly harsh for low-paid women, who make up most of the public sector workforce, and their families and children.
Low paid workers, who already face pay freezes and job cuts, will now also see their services and household income cut.
The government is planning to cap and put restrictions on housing benefit, which many hard-working low-income families depend on to meet rising housing costs.
Freezing of child benefit, and focusing on Child Tax Credits, which will be reduced and withdrawn from many families also indicates a shift in government policy from universal to means-tested benefits for families and children, warned Ms Lister.
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