UNISON Scottish Community and Voluntary Sector

Report at 26^th February 2009.

Petition to Scottish Parliament

UNISON started an e-petition to the Scottish Parliament on the Funding of the CVS in Scotland. This is due to be heard on the 17^th March at the Petitions Committee. There will be representatives of UNISON, Unite, SCVO, CCPS and the STUC at this hearing.

The Trade Unions are also planning a Rally outside the Scottish Parliament. We would encourage all Branches with CVS members to get along and support our colleagues. For more info contact Simon Macfarlane at UNISON House.

Budget Cuts in Local Authorities

You will all be experiencing cuts of some kind in Local Authorities. The CVS are also experiencing the same. As always it is easy to cut our income as we are so widespread and the impact is not as great as it would be in a large employer. Quarriers for example has seen four projects close in the last year, redundancies in various projects and cutbacks across the organisation as a result of falling income. This is similar to many CVS employers.

TUPE

One major issue for the CVS is TUPE. Some employers are taking over services and honouring TUPE at the point of transfer. Then they are changing terms and conditions at a whim or as has happened in Moray they are advertising our members’ jobs before they TUPE over. This is becoming more commonplace. This should be seen as a warning for our colleagues in Local Authorities who could find themselves working for a Charity at some point in the future.

National CVS Seminar

The UNISON National CVS Seminar is to be held in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Glasgow this year from 13^th to 14^th March. This is an occasion to meet CVS colleagues from all parts of the UK and share experiences. I would urge all Local Government Branches with CVS members to make sure they get members along to this.

Stephen Brown,
Member of Scottish CVS Committee