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

July/August 2010 No 86

ORGANISE! Building links as union gears up to fight attacks
Organisation is the key as UNISON Scotland sets out plans to fight the biggest attacks we have seen on public services, jobs, pay and pensions in the months ahead.

Matching resources to tasks facing branches
The UNISON Scottish Committee seminar on 30/31 August will plan how to translate national policies into practical action.

BUSTING THE CUTS MYTHS: THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE
As even the Scottish Chambers of Commerce are saying businesses expect public sector cuts will ‘dampen’ the economy, it is time to question again the ideology that has the media conned into believing there is no alternative.

Educate, agitate and organise
SCOTLAND PLAYS MAJOR ROLE AS NATIONAL CONFERENCE SETS OUT POLICIES TO DEFEND PUBLIC SERVICES.

We said 11 years ago PFI was a bad deal - at last they’ve got it
An Edinburgh Evening News ‘exclusive’ on 21 July 2010 says its investigation has found that the NHS will have to pay a total of £1.26 billion for the privately built Edinburgh Royal Infirmary - and still not own it - just 11 years after UNISON revealed this!

Unions to call Acas into Glasgow Life dispute
Glasgow City UNISON and other unions in the city’s culture and leisure body have agreed to approach the arbitration service Acas in a bid to resolve a long running dispute over cuts to pay and conditions.

Protest over increments forces Aberdeen into talks
UNISON negotiators are back in talks with Aberdeen City Council after a campaign of protest forced the employers to step back from their plan to defer pay increments.

Scottish Power and Accenture in offshoring jobs betrayal
UNISON’s Scottish Electricity branch has urged ScottishPower and the IT systems company Accenture to reconsider their strategy of making 200 staff redundant in Scotland and the rest of the UK, and moving their work to India.

Nominate for public sector awards
It’s time to get nominating for two sets of public sector awards sponsored by UNISON Scotland.

Matt appointed to human rights job
UNISON Scottish Secretary Matt Smith has been appointed a part time member of the Scottish Human Rights Commission, the body created to promote and protect human rights in Scotland.

UNISON over the rainbow at Pride Glasgow
The sun broke through some early showers and the rainbow flag flew over the City Chambers as UNISON Scotland LGBT Committee members took part in this year’s Pride Glasgow event on Saturday 17 July, reports Elaine Duffy.

UNISON - Standing up for social care
Scotland’s Social Work Issues Group (SWIG) has taken a key role in highlighting the issues which face our members in social work and social care and in moving social care up the political agenda both in Scotland and across the UK.

Frontline police in Strathclyde doing staff jobs
UNISON Strathclyde Police & Fire Branch has revealed that police officers in the force are doing staff jobs instead of frontline duties, even as further staff job cuts are planned.

Backing for climate science
Stop Climate Chaos Scotland is urging members to help promote the facts on climate science.

We walked the glen and raised thousands for UNISON Welfare
The centenary ‘Walk the Glen’ fundraiser for UNISON Welfare was a huge success in May as members, family and friends descended on Dunfermline’s beautiful Pittencrieff Park.

Lothian Health launches anti-racist workplace sessions
Lothian Health Branch has joined with “Show Racism the Red Card” (SRTRC) to launch a series of workplace sessions aimed at combating racism at work.

New look UNISON Scotland women’s pages
Liz Mackay has taken on the role of providing information for the website’s Women’s Committee section and the pages have now been updated and redesigned.

UNISON Kinneil Band Book:
UNISON Kinneil Band has published a book ‘150 years of music’.

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