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

April/May 2007 No 66

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. .