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Click here for briefing on Special Local Government Conference 24 March 2015
Scotland at UNISON's National Conference
On the blog...
Photos
from National Conference and Local Govt Conference are now
on Picasa - Free to use for UNISON branches.
Supporting
stewards working with stress
20/6/14: Conference backed a South Lanarkshire call for
research into the impact on the well-being of stewards given
the demands placed on them, with a view to putting in place
support mechanisms for stewards and members... Margaret
Gallacher and Brenda Aitchison.
Public
ownership of energy will transform lives
20/6/14: Conference slammed the rise in fuel poverty which
leaves many of our poorest citizens with a choice of whether
to heat or eat, at the same time as energy companies have
increased their profits by a massive 74%. UNISON will support
an energy price freeze and will campaign actively for a
re-nationalisation of the energy market - speeches by
Gordon McKay and Elaine Duffy.
Lay
tutors essential to challenge austerity myths
20/6/14: Mandela said that education is the most important
weapon that you can use to change the world, Scotland’s
Stephen Smellie said, as conference set out a plan to take
forward and encourage debate, discussion and education on
the causes of austerity and broader political education.
Defeat
UKIP by being bold, Gordon McKay tells Labour
20/6/14: Scotland NEC member Gordon McKay urged Labour to
be bold and give members and their families a reason to
vote Labour and 'wipe UKIP off the map'.
The
kind of Scotland we want to see
19/6/14: UNISON Scotland's position on the forthcoming independence
referendum in Scotland was backed overwhelmingly by delegates,
after speakers queued up to lend their support. Lilian Macer,
Scotland's Convener, told delegates that UNISON in Scotland
hasn't signed up to either campaign, "not because we
care less than anyone else about what happens, but because
we have an idea about the kind of Scotland we want to see.
Bill
of Rights for fairness and inclusiveness in Northern Ireland
19/6/14: UNISON will press for a Bill of Rights for Northern
Ireland as conference applauded the stance of our colleagues
in Northern Ireland UNISON in leading a public protest at
the failure of government and politicians to agree a way
forward on the "unfinished business" of the Good
Friday Agreement.
TTIP
- Thatcherism's ultimate triumph
19/6/14: The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership
(TTIP) agreement between the European Union and the USA
has "catastrophic implications for public services,
not only here in the UK but across Europe," Glasgow's
Chris Stephen told delegates, as Conference backed a range
of measures to campaign against the treaty's adoption.
Colombia:
Embrace Martha's spirit and her fight
19/6/14: Falkirk's Ruth Young urged Conference to embrace
Colombian trade unionist Martha Diaz's "spirit and
her fight" and called for continued support for Justice
for Colombia.
Communication
and organisation key to recruitment
18/6/14: Campaigning and organising were high on the agenda
once again this year, as Conference agreed to campaign "visibly
and vocally" against cuts to jobs and services, to
attract new members and to keep the ones we already have
- Stephen Smellie.
Disability
leave policies needed to end discrimination
18/6/14: Conference backed action to end the use of potentially
discriminatory attendance management policies and called
on branches to negotiate disability leave using UNISON's
model policy... Mags Maguire
Privatisation
warning on social care integration
18/6/14: Margo Cranmer from Lanarkshire Health warned Conference
today that the commitment UNISON has won in Scotland of
no privatisation in the NHS needs to be delivered for the
integration agenda as well.
Unite
and fight for the pay we deserve
17/6/14: Britain needs a pay rise, and our members need
a pay rise, not only for themselves but for the economy
as a whole. We must now unite and fight and fight for what
we deserve. That was the rousing message from Scottish NEC
member Jane Carolan, as Conference backed action, including
co-ordinated strike action to win decent wages for our members.
Tory
health and safety proposals are ‘ideological nonsense'
17/6/14: A fully funded and properly resourced Health and
Safety Executive is the only safe and healthy option for
our members and communities, said Glasgow’s Chris
Stephens, as Conference pledged to fight the commercialisation
and privatisation of the HSE. Seconding a motion from Stockport,
Chris told delegates that last year Glasgow had warned about
the Westminster Governnment’s attack on the Health
and Safety Executive and draconian changes to health and
safety law.
Kirby
praises ‘humour and spirit’ of referendum debate
17/6/14: A packed fringe meeting today got the chance to
discuss the detail of UNISON Scotland’s ‘challenging’
position on the referendum. The meeting, addressed by Mike
Kirby, UNISON Scottish Secretary and Lilian Macer, Scottish
Convener, was held to put more meat on the bones than the
strictures of the Conference hall debate could reasonably
allow.
Conference
In June 2014, 280 UNISON Scotland delegates and visitors
from 70 branches will converge on Brighton for the union's
National Delegate Conference
The National Delegate Conference
is the union's ruling body. Every year delegates from all
over the country take part in debates to choose our campaigning
priorities and policies. Every UNISON branch elects reps to attend annual conference
and vote on behalf of their local branch members.
National service group executives and conferences
There are also service groups which bring together members
across the country doing similar kinds of jobs or working
for the same kinds of employers. Many will have their
conferences at the start of the National Conference.
As a member, you can stand for election to your service
group executive or as a delegate to the group conference.
See more of the UNISON UK website
Click here for the reports from Conference 2013 |
The
Morning Star is the only newspaper that reports daily on
the debates at conference and reports them favourably. Other
daily newspapers are more likely to attack the delegates
who demand an end to austerity and decent pay, conditions
and pensions for our members.
