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Let's all back the nursery nurses Scotland's nursery nurses are to seek a regrading to reflect the increasing duties and responsibilities of the job in Scotland.

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Let's all back the nursery nurses

by Chris Bartter

Scotland's nursery nurses are to seek a regrading to reflect the increasing duties and responsibilities of the job in Scotland.

Delegates of nursery nurses from branches across the country have agreed a new job description and will be submitting a claim to Scottish employers in the near future.

There will also be a major Scottish demonstration and rally in Glasgow on Saturday May 19 to demonstrate support from across the country, and to raise the profile of nursery nurses.

Carol Ball, (Chair of the Working Group that has been working on this claim) said, "We urge all UNISON members and in particular all nursery nurses, to turn out to start to redress the low status of nursery nurses in our education system.

"Nursery nurses are the largest single professional group delivering education to Scotland's children - we want our pay to reflect the importance of the job we do."

The demonstration will assemble in Blythswood Square in Glasgow at 12.30pm on Saturday May 19 and will march to George Square to hear speeches from MSP's, celebrities and union supporters. There will also be stalls with entertainment for children. Carol says they want the day to be fun as well as serious.

"We are hoping for a festival atmosphere in George Square and for support from parents and other carers. If you are a nursery nurse, or if your children go to a nursery, this is a day for you."

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Quality in first Communications awards

TThe purpose of the first UNISONScotland Communications Awards is to encourage existing activists and motivate more branches to produce local material.

Full constructive assessments will go out to all entrants, but here we look at the winners and some of the entries.

"The quality shows the great work going on in so many branches" said John Stevenson, Communications & Campaigns Chair.

Magazine Award

South Glasgow won the Frizzels Magazine (large branches) award with issues packed with local and national news and information complemented by good bright design.

Even smaller branches like Clackmannanshire were turning out high quality material and with big players like Glasgow City also in the competition, the results were very closely run indeed.

The judges, were Chris Bartter (Communications Officer), John Stevenson (SiU Editor), Jane Carolan (NEC) and Morag Stevenson (past Communications & Campaigns Committee Chair). Morag stood in for the large branches magazine awards to save Jane judging her own branch.

"Each magazine had so much to offer", said John Stevenson. "From informative local newsheets to the in-depth and agenda setting housing articles in Glasgow City's The Voice."

"East Lothian had lessons for everybody in the thought given to distribution and South Lanarkshire made lively use of full colour".

The quality of writing in key stories in West Dunbartonshire's magazine also impressed judges

Campaign Winner

The Britannia Rescue Best Campaign went to Renfrewshire's 'No Scab Labour' campaign run during the local government pay strikes.

"This campaign was clearly planned. It used a range of materials and strategies including leaflets, the media and letter campaigns", said John.

It culminated in an imaginative project to link into an employer's 'Wear a Hat to Work' charity event. The Branch produced UNISON Fair Pay baseball caps for the day and raised funds for the charity too.

This campaign had the edge over the others for its specific planning and the fact that it was run in the midst of the pressures of the pay campaign.

But hot on its heels were South Glasgow Hospitals and South Lanarkshire Branches. "All I want for Xmas is to be brought back in house" was part of the theme of the South Glasgow Hospitals campaign to end an outsourced contract and bring workers back into the NHS.

South Lanarkshire won new anti-harassment procedures after its Anti Bullying survey and campaign.

Special Award

A special award went to East Dunbartonshire for the excellent work of Robert McComb on a really informative and attractive branch magazine and a packed and exciting website using a range of innovative tools like 'streaming video'.

Electronic Communications

South Glasgow Hospitals also won the UNISON Credit Card award for best use of Electronic Communications. Its website, as well as local information, has a home page that members can use as their route to a range of resources.

Websites are springing up all over the place and notable additional mentions must go to Hydro Electric's site - a great example of a simple but well designed and easy to navigate site.

East Lothian is working on getting agreements on to their site.

East Dunbartonshire's makes excellent use of links to the UNISONScotland site for briefings and makes great use of photos, sound clips and video to report branch news. Of all the sites, it capitalises most on interactivity for members contacting the branch.

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Medical Secretaries dispute moves to Scottish stage

Medical secretaries throughout Scotland are joining a wave of disputes over their pay.

They are incensed that they are often paid lower than management secretaries, despite their need to acquire technical and clinical knowledge.

UNISON is now in formal dispute over the grading of medical secretaries in Glasgow, Lothian, Fife, Forth Valley, Argyll and Clyde and Lanarkshire.

Branches in Glasgow and Lanarkshire have made formal requests for an industrial action ballot. J

im Devine (Scottish Organiser for Health) says, "Medical secretaries play a crucial role in ensuring that the Government's waiting list initiative meets its target.

If this dispute escalates as far as strike action severe damage would be done to acute services. "As this is now a Scottish-wide dispute, I have written to Trevor Jones, Chief Executive of the Scottish Health Service with some options to resolve it at a Scottish level."

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Pay inquest looks to learn lessons for the future

by John Stevenson

A no holds barred review of the Local Government pay dispute is on its way out to branches for comment.

The review, called for by Scottish branches and organised by the UNISON negotiating group, assesses the successes of the campaign, looks to build a blueprint for future action on this kind of scale, calls for further discussion is some areas, but also takes a frank look at where the problems were.

It examines tactics, organisation, the role of the other unions and the negotiating structures.

As well as a number of recommendations about internal structures and practice, it calls for a constructive re-appraisal of the 'staff side.

Blueprint for future

Scottish Local Government Chair Dougie Black is upbeat about the lessons to be learned from the pay strikes.

"Whilst recognising the deficiencies of the campaign, ultimately it was its success that delivered the new offer.

"We hope this review will bring a blueprint for the future on how the union runs action on this scale" he said.

The review analyses the campaign step by step from lodging the claim in December 2000. It notes the poor return in the original ballot but the view that it had to be taken as a mandate for action.

Not all branches responded to the consultation on the first 'final' offer and the report proposes full ballots alongside workplace meetings in the future.

Role of other unions

The problems stemming from the split in the other unions' positions meant that the 'staff side' could not function and issues like arbitration could not be progressed. The report calls for new dialogue with the other unions to look at issues like common ballot questions.

The role of full time officers and the problems with advice given at different stages of the dispute is also raised and the Scottish Secretary is asked to comment.

Action strategy

The role of the 'Forum' of branches is also reviewed - especially its shift in role from a 'sounding board' to taking decisions on tactics, like the change from the planned 1, 2 and 3 days of action.

While backing this change, the report notes that it exposed serious concerns in some branches about the ability to sustain the dispute and that some issues highlighted the lack of a long term plan to win the dispute.

There should have been more examination of the use of selective action and more central control and co-ordination since this was a national dispute.

The report notes the issue of staff side members also being on the Forum when the staff side and branch views conflicted. It recommends a separation of the chair of the staff side and the Forum.

Press problems

The Communications Officer role is praised (The Communications & Campaigns Committee have also tabled a review).

The report outlines a long list of bulletins and briefings that were produced and discusses the change from quite positive to very negative media coverage. T

he link is made between that and the move to selective action hitting the public harder and calls for more cohesive co-ordination of local action.

But there were also other factors leading to negative coverage. Concern is raised about anonymous briefings to the press during the dispute, especially after Forum meetings and the report calls for delegates to maintain 'collective responsibility'.

National Committee

The National Industrial Action Committee escapes criticism with the report noting that it was supportive and acted in line with representations made by Scotland delegates. After a year of dispute and six months of strikes, the final offer was accepted on a ballot vote of a 83% to 17% on a 46% return.

The review has gone out to branches for comment, make sure you take part in the debate.

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Scottish Qualifications Authority staff flag up continuing problems

by Chris Bartter

Members in the Scottish Qualification Authority have delivered a five page report to their bosses detailing a list of 'concerns, observations and suggestions' on the measures taken (and not taken) to address the major problems of last year's examinations.

Concerns still exist on the data management, IT inadequacies, production of question papers and management appointments.

Stress

Staff are being asked to work significantly beyond their jobs with no compensation and as a result stress is building up. Matt McLaughlin, (Regional Officer for the Branch) says,

"Staff unions compiled this report from a range of interviews with their members and it throws up some disturbing conclusions.

"Whilst we are pleased that the SQA management accepted a substantial part of it, we are concerned that little activity has been undertaken to address problems.

"Staff have been the butt of many of the attacks of last year - quite unfairly - and they are not prepared to take the brunt of further attacks.

"We can see what is wrong and we are arguing for proper solutions."

Leak

The report featured in a leak to the media earlier in April, after it had been presented to the SQA management, and has also been sent to the Scottish Parliament.

"We are disappointed that someone saw fit to leak a report that we were pursuing with managers and politicians," Matt says "but there is nothing in the report that cannot be substantiated and much that should be acted upon."

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Freedom of Information - new bill needs further strengthening

UNISON is to take part in a series of meetings with other organisations to urge them to submit responses to the Scottish Executive's Draft Freedom of Information Bill.

Along with the Campaign for Freedom of Information, the Scottish Consumer Council, Friends of the Earth Scotland and the Scottish Civic Forum, UNISON is participating in meetings in Inverness (before this is published) and Glasgow (on 10 May).

Chris Bartter Communications Officer) said, "Although the bill maintains much of the improvements that the Consultation document had over the UK legislation, there are still areas of concern.

"In particular UNISON is worried about how private sector suppliers of services are to be covered and by the lack of any commitment to extra resources to assist public authorities to comply."

The provisions for a strong independent Information Commissioner in Scotland and the substantially tougher test the authorities have to apply to stop release of information, are welcome.

It is hoped that many groups will lobby the Executive for further improvements. Anyone wanting to attend the Glasgow meeting (to be held in West Campbell Street) should contact Neil McLeod, at the SCC. Tel 0141-227 6469 e-mail, nmcleod@scotconsumer.org.uk.

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Freedom of Information - new bill needs further strengthening

UNISON is to take part in a series of meetings with other organisations to urge them to submit responses to the Scottish Executive's Draft Freedom of Information Bill.

Along with the Campaign for Freedom of Information, the Scottish Consumer Council, Friends of the Earth Scotland and the Scottish Civic Forum, UNISON is participating in meetings in Inverness (before this is published) and Glasgow (on 10 May).

Chris Bartter Communications Officer) said, "Although the bill maintains much of the improvements that the Consultation document had over the UK legislation, there are still areas of concern.

"In particular UNISON is worried about how private sector suppliers of services are to be covered and by the lack of any commitment to extra resources to assist public authorities to comply."

The provisions for a strong independent Information Commissioner in Scotland and the substantially tougher test the authorities have to apply to stop release of information, are welcome.

It is hoped that many groups will lobby the Executive for further improvements. Anyone wanting to attend the Glasgow meeting (to be held in West Campbell Street) should contact Neil McLeod, at the SCC. Tel 0141-227 6469 e-mail, nmcleod@scotconsumer.org.uk.

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Hundreds of thousands of reasons to join UNISONScotland

UNISON's legal office has announced that UNISON has won nearly half a million pounds in personal injury settlements for members in Scotland in the first three months of 2001.

From January to March, the union notched up £451,337.41 in compensation payments for members who suffered personal injury.

Matt Smith, Scottish Secretary said, "Of course we would rather that members had never suffered these injuries, but it is good to know that UNISON members can call on the union's backing if they are in trouble. I would urge stewards to publicise these figures to non-members."

The awards were made to over 60 UNISON members and varied from £500 to £50,000.

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Single Water Authority 'Rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic'

UNISONScotland has dismissed the announcement of a reorganisation in the Water industry as a distraction from the many serious issues facing Scotland's water.

Dave Watson, UNISON's Scottish Organiser for Utilities, said, "Reorganising Scotland's Water Industry again, is like rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic. As UNISON has said before - this is a distraction from the major issues that should be being dealt with.

"UNISON, who are the major union in Scotland's water authorities believe that crucial issues of safety, competition cuts and creeping privatisation are what the government should be addressing.

"We have already seen the dangers that so-called 'efficiency' cuts and privatisation have lead to in the rail and energy industries," added Dave.

"UNISON will be running a major campaign to warn of the threats to safety and to jobs in Scotland's water industry." UNISON is also arguing for comprehensive regulations to be enforced, placing safety before the promotion of competition.

"Safety, not competition, should be the priority." said Dave. "These are political decisions and our government should ensure that our unique industry is safeguarded and that the full costs are borne by any new entrants".

Dave Watson has issued a briefing and an initial UNISON response to the Water Services Bill. See them at www.unison-scotland.org.uk/water/water.html

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Thousands of asbestos victims risk losing out on compensation claims

Public enquiry demanded as insurance company folds

By John Stevenson

UNISON's Scottish Council has demanded a public inquiry into the collapse of a key insurance company and the effect it will have on thousands of asbestos compensation claims.

As well as the inquiry into what happened in Chester Street Insurance Holdings, UNISON branches also called for a campaign to get the Government to pledge that the value of all successful compensation claims will be met in full.

West Dunbartonshire Branch's Tom Morrison reminded delegates that UNISON members were among those affected.

"Deindustrialisation means that many people who worked in iron and steel and shipbuilding industries now work in UNISON organised jobs", said Tom.

In an emotional contribution, Glasgow Health's Lisa Ferguson brought the issue into stark personal focus. "My father went through a terrible death and we went through a five year battle with insurance companies - five years of battling with lawyers before settling out of court", she told the meeting.

Millie Somerville, Health & Safety chair urged members to take part in Workers Memorial Day when asbestos dangers would be the theme this year.

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Living Wage campaign

As we went to press, thousands of UNISON members were converging on Manchester for a major march, rally and evening concert.

And at the STUC Congress in Aberdeen, Matt Smith, UNISON's Scottish Secretary, won support for a motion demanding significantly more than the current minimum wage.

He said: "We want to see an end to age differential, regular automatic uprating of the minimum wage, and a fair wages regulation in public contracting. "Above all else we want to eradicate low pay."

Index

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Supporting UNISON Welfare

Fife Branch have handed over a £1,000 cheque to UNISON Welfare as part of an ongoing package of support.

Lila Sneddon took the chance to report on recent Welfare Officers' Training.

"Another successful Welfare Officers Course took place on April 1 with an excellent talk on Fuel Poverty" said Lila.

"Ideas for the future development of Welfare Officers Courses have been noted".

UNISON Welfare is a registered charity providing help to members and their families in times of financial hardship or personal difficulties.

You are always best to approach your branch first. Some branches have local Welfare Funds set up as charitable organisations as well as giving access to the national fund. Welfare Officers and the Welfare Committee have experience in advocacy for members and putting them in touch with other agencies which may also be able to help.

Contact: Lila Sneddon Chair Welfare, Scottish Region .e-mail: lila.sneddon@southlanarkshire.gov.uk

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UNISON takes centre stage at Labour Party Conference

John Lambie (UNISON Assistant Scottish Secretary) took over the Chair at this year's Scottish Labour Party Conference in Inverness.

His central role was appropriate as UNISON made a number of important interventions on various topics and ran one of the most successful fringe meetings of the weekend.

Jackie Baillie MSP (Minister for Communities) spoke to a packed fringe meeting organised jointly with Transco and Energy Action Scotland, after the audience had seen the UNISON sponsored video - Fuel Poverty in Scotland.

Chairing the meeting was Karie Murphy (Deputy Scottish Convenor)

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Cuba: It is essential to know we are not alone

by Jane Aitchison

Come to Cuba. You'll enjoy our beaches, you'll enjoy our sun, but most of all you'll enjoy sharing your time with the Cuban people.

That was the message from Luis Marron, from the Cuban Institute of Friendship Among People, when he talked to UNISON members and local politicians in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire on Tuesday 16 April.

Charismatic Luis charmed his audience with a powerful story of Cuban independence "not paranoia" from the 90 mile away U.S. of A. Luis captured the hearts and minds of his Scottish friends.

Luis said, "The socialist revolution in Cuba is alive, moving and enjoying very good health. We've had problems since the collapse of socialism, but we're coming out of the crisis gradually. All the achievements of the Cuban Revolution in education, public health, culture, science and sports are still in place".

"Unfortunately we are only 90 miles away from the most powerful nation in the world, who have been working very hard for 40 years to destroy whatever we have built in the country.

"The support that Cuba has received over these 40 years from friends all over the world has been crucial. It's essential to know that we're not alone".

Contacts: Scottish Cuba Solidarity Campaign: Scottish CSC, c/o GREC, 9a Little Belmont Street, Aberdeen, AB10 1JG Scottish Medical Aid for Cuba: Jackie Morrison, Treasurer, 28 Howacre, Lanark, ML11 7PL.

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More Public spending - no PFI

UNISON brought together eight unions at the STUC congress to demand more public spending and oppose Private Finance Initiatives (PFI).

Scottish Convenor Mike Kirby said "Even in its own terms PFI is not best value. In Scotland seven billion pounds is buying two billion pounds worth of assets".

Mike called on Chancellor Gordon Brown to use his balance of payments surplus to invest in public services.

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We want to hear your news

Won any deals or cases for members? Any 'people' stories we could use? SiU is your paper, we want to hear your stories.

Your SiU contacts are:

John Stevenson (Editor)

0131 343 1991

comms@unison-edinburgh.org.uk

Chris Bartter

0141 332 0006,

chris.bartter@unison.org.uk

FAX PRESS RELEASES to 0141-331-1203