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

March 2011 No 89

'FOR public services' manifesto launched
As public services face their biggest crisis ever, UNISON Scotland has launched a manifesto as part of its Public Works campaign to defend public services.

Cuts roundup: 120,000 jobs at risk: Public and private
The human cost of cuts topping £700m - with over 7,000 jobs going from local government and nearly 4,000 from health - was brought into sharp focus in February as the Scottish Government and councils set their budgets.

Health wins living wage
NHS Scotland employers have agreed to implement a Living Wage.

Case Study: Cuts - but campaign saves services for most vulnerable
Excellent campaigning work by members in South Lanarkshire saw councillors pull back from some controversial cuts affecting the most vulnerable people.

Homecare Delegate Meeting
Thursday 17 March 2011 10.30am - 2.30pm City Of Glasgow Branch Office 18 Albion Street, Glasgow

We have a fight on our hands but nobody does it better than us!
UNISON National President, Angela Lynes, returned to her home turf in Glasgow when she attended the meeting of Local Government branches in February to thank activists for their hard work, to urge them to keep up the campaign against cuts and to mobilise for the demo in London on 26 March.

Get to London and march for public services on 26 March
UNISON members can book transport to the big London demo which has been arranged through the STUC. Places are available on buses and trains from Glasgow and Edinburgh and will be allocated through union branches. Click here for updated details about bus and train times.

PENSIONS ROBBERY
The UK government plans to increase pension contributions by 3.2% over three years, grabbing £2.8bn, for the Treasury - not for pensions.

Police cells privatisation plans ‘crazy’ says UNISON
UNISON has called apparent proposals to privatise police cells “crazy” and claimed that they would result in another costly PFI scheme which would be bad value for money for the taxpayer.

Picture this: the real picture of Scotland’s public services
UNISON’s Public Works campaign is about more than just cuts, it’s about promoting a positive image of our public services. Have you got any photos you can send us?

All change for Scotland’s public services?
The Scottish Government has established the Commission on the Future Delivery of Public Services, Chaired by Campbell Christie, former General Secretary of the STUC.

Lobby pushes social housing up the agenda
UNISON housing members joined the STUC housing lobby of the Scottish Parliament on 10 February in an attempt to push social housing in Scotland further up the political agenda.

New climate change events
Stop Climate Chaos Scotland is aiming to keep climate change high on the political agenda in the Scottish election campaign with some innovative events planned.

New Stewards Training Courses
The main training for new Stewards is the current three day Organising Steward course. Most new Stewards then follow that up with the two day Handling Grievances and Disciplinaries course. From April 2011 this is all changing.

The NHS but not as we know it?
John Gallacher, Regional Organiser, looks at the Westminster Health and Social Care Bill - and contrasts with the ‘Scottish vision’.

Scottish anti-cuts alliance formed
The first meeting of the steering committee of the newly formed Scottish Anti Cuts Alliance will be held on 3 March in Glasgow.

A tribute to Margaret O’Neill
Margaret O’Neill, long serving Lothian and Borders Police branch secretary, died in December 2010 after retiring on health grounds two years before.

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