Engaging with Government to back our members

By Chris Bartter

UNISON has been busy in the parliamentary recess, pursuing members' concerns and issues impacting on Scottish public services with the new Scottish Government.

The vast majority of UNISON members work in services that are directly affected by decisions taken by the Scottish Executive, the parliament and local councils. Political changes to these areas in this year's elections have meant that the union has been keen to start discussions with politicians in power to try to put across the views of our members.

Matt Smith says, "We have been keen to have early talks with the new Government and we have been encouraging branches locally to do the same with MSPs. "We are clear that we want to engage with the new ministers, both to see where we can pursue aims that coincide, and to raise areas of major concern.

"I and my colleagues have met with a number of the new ministers, including Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney and have arranged meetings with others either directly or with the STUC. I know that our activists in local government have plans to engage with local politicians over issues that confront local government."

Areas of concern that have and will continue to be raised, include Equal Pay - in local government, the NHS and higher and further education, the threat of a funding crisis in local government, and the retention of water as a publicly-run service.

One major issue of immediate concern relates to the Government's pay policy as it impacts upon non departmental public bodies, an issue that has been raised with the Government at Holyrood both in correspondence and directly in discussions. We have made clear that there is a serious threat of industrial asction if early progress is not made.

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