Scotland calls for an end to the scandal of publicly funded poverty pay

#undc13 Delegates slammed the Coalition government’s “slash and burn” responses to the economic crisis, with attacks on pay and terms and conditions and growing privatisation creating a low wage economy, job insecurity and undermining employment rights.

It called for UNISON to stay at the forefront of the opposition to these attacks, with a range of measures including building on our living wage campaign.

Police must act on disability hate crime

#undc13 UNISON will campaign to raise the profile of disability hate crime and will call for it to be treated as seriously as other forms of hate crime.

Strathclyde Police and Fire’s Brian Molloy, backing the National Disabled Members Committee motion highlighted that legislation to combat disability hate crime has existed in Scotland since 2010.

Call for mass housing programme: Homes for people not profit

#undc13 UNISON called for a mass housing investment programme, building new and refurbishing old housing provision, financed from increases in progressive taxes.

Steve Gray, Aberdeenshire UNISON, told Conference: “Homes are for people not profits! Putting profits before people has resulted in the national housing crisis that affects UNISON members and other people on low incomes to middle incomes.”

Care solutions need to recognise devolved powers

As the numbers of people needing social care and support continue to rise, there needs to be a long term sustainable solution to the funding deficit in social care and Conference threw its weight behind a range of measures to address this, including support for a national care service, free at the point of need.
  Scotland’s Stephen Smellie brought a Scottish perspective to the debate, however, reminding delegates that social care and the NHS are devolved matters, and different solutions will need to develop in response to different issues.

Time to get angry to protect rights

Employment rights are human rights, good for the economy and a sign of a healthy society. This was the message from Conference delegates as they pledged to fight Government attacks on our employment and trade union rights.

Scotland's Gordon McKay, speaking for the NEC told Conference that these next four days should be "where we raise a voice of articulated anger from a united union aimed at a government that is ripping up the employment rights of workers.

Careers website ‘no substitute for face-to-face guidance’ - UNISON

Tuesday 18 June 2013

Presentation of new research: What’s the evidence? Comparing the impact of career websites and other career support’ 
Tuesday 18 June - Scottish Parliament

Members of UNISON’s Scottish careers branch today (Tuesday 18 June) told MSPs that websites like My World of Work – which all Scottish school pupils are now expected to rely on for careers advice - are “no substitute for face-to-face guidance”. UNISON is calling for Skills Development Scotland to raise the profile of the face-to-face service provided by careers advisers.

Independent research into the effect of careers websites commissioned from the University of Edinburgh has found that My World of Work – known as MyWoW – was valued by pupils and teachers, but that it has “limited impact on pupils’ careers management skills”. In fact, the researchers say, “it is clear from the focus groups and open-ended survey comments that pupils, irrespective of their level of family support or attainment, would like face-to-face contact with careers advisers as well as access to websites.” 

Derek Cheyne, secretary of UNISON’s Skills Development Scotland branch said:
“This research shows that while careers websites are of value, they are no substitute for expert face-to-face guidance. Young people face the worst jobs crisis in recent times and they need the best possible support to help them move from school to rewarding careers.”

The chief executive of SDS, Damien Yeates, recently told the Times Educational Supplement Scotland that ‘any student who really feels they would like face-to-face advice should get it’. However, the Edinburgh research states: “It is evident, too, that pupils need to be more fully informed about the role of a careers adviser and about access arrangements.”

James Corry, chair of the union’s Non-Departmental Public Bodies sector committee, said:
“This research confirms what we as professionals in the careers service already know – that face-to-face sessions are vital for pupils. It is clear that SDS needs to raise the profile of the face-to-face service provided by our advisers – and that the promotion of face-to-face advice needs to be properly resourced.”

The research was presented to MSPs in the Scottish Parliament at an information and discussion meeting today Tuesday 18 June, hosted by Neil Findlay, Deputy Convener of the Education and Culture Committee.

ENDS

 

Notes to editors:

1. UNISON is Scotland’s largest public services trade union representing 160,000 members working in the public sector in Scotland – including staff providing key careers services in Skills Development Scotland.

2. ‘What’s the evidence? Comparing the impact of career websites and other career support’ by Cathy Howieson and Sheila Semple, Centre for Educational Sociology, University of Edinburgh, will be published on Tuesday 18 June as CES Briefing Number 63, 2013

From the Briefing introduction:
“UK governments expect career websites to fulfil a central role in career information, advice and guidance. In Scotland, Skills Development Scotland's input in schools is now based on the expectation that all pupils will use its website My World of Work (MyWoW) and many may not need individual contact with a careers adviser. Career websites have the potential to make a valuable contribution but currently little is know about their effectiveness and impact. This Briefing outlines the findings from a study that examined the comparative impact of career websites such as MyWoW.”

Findings from the study include:

• Pupils and teachers valued MyWoW but as part of provision that includes face-to-face support, including from a careers adviser, for the majority of pupils.
• Compared with other sources of career support, MyWoW had a limited impact on pupils’ careers management skills as did the PlanitPlus website.
• Clinic sessions with a career adviser, discussion with teachers and use of the school careers library each had a substantial impact on pupils’ career management skills.

3. A Briefing from the study was presented to an information and discussion meeting in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday 18 June at 1pm.

4. The study was funded by UNISON and builds on earlier research commissioned by SDS. The full research report is available from 15 July 2013 athttp://www.ces.ed.ac.uk/UNISON/FinalREport.pdf

The briefing is available on UNISON Scotland’s website from Tuesday 18 June
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/ndpb/sds/
CareersWebsites_CESBriefing63_June2013.pdf

Welcome for MSPs' call for statutory right to childcare

UNISON Equalities Officer Eileen Dinning today welcomed a report by MSPs calling for a timetable for a statutory right to childcare.

The Scottish Parliament's Equal Opportunities Committee said the move, along with more flexible working patterns, could transform women's access to work.

Eileen, chair of the STUC Women's Committee, said: "We welcome the committee's report as it reinforces our experience of the obstacles women face in the workplace.

"We have long argued for free and universal childcare and we hope this is the first step to achieving that goal."

Fair Pay Day of Action around Scotland - and in Dundee for #AusterityUncovered

#YestoFairPay Please help publicise UNISON Scotland's next Fair Pay Day of Action on Tuesday 25 June. Branches are campaigning across Scotland for Fair Pay for local government workers and Yes to Strike Action for Fair Pay.

Also on 25 June, Our Fair Pay Day Family Fun and Rally in Dundee is part of the STUC's Austerity Uncovered There is a Better Way tour from 21-29 June.

Delegates say Yes to Fair Pay campaign

#unlgc13 Scotland delegates to UNISON Local Government Conference stand up for Fair Pay. Ballot papers coming out soon. Be sure to vote for action! #YestoFairPay See http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/localgovt/pay2013/index.html

Support for scrutinising council budgets

#unlgc13 UNISON will train specialists to help branches analyse council budgets and help identify alternative proposals to the employer's cuts in jobs and services. It will also work with regions and branches on support at branch level people with the time and knowledge to analyse hidden savings and other budget queries.
  Edinburgh's Andy Barnett, supporting the Eastern Region motion, brought laughter when he said his accountant father's favourite joke was; "What's one plus one? Whatever you want it to be. It shows the difficulty in understanding budgets", said Andy.

Poverty wages – a publicly funded pay scandal

#unlgc13 UNISON will lead a campaign to ensure that every council in the UK and all companies contracted to provide public services, pay the Living Wage to their workers. Full story at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/conf2013/lgstory3.htm

Campaign for living wage and real jobs for modern apprentices

#unlgc13 The best way to improve conditions for modern apprentices is to recruit them into the union, Conference was told as it called for a living wage and assured permanent jobs when apprenticeships finish. See full story at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/conf2013/lgstory1.htm

Welfare reform is creating widespread hardship and must be reversed

#unlgc13 Following a robust and inspiring introduction by UNISON member and Liverpool Mayor, Joe Anderson, when he slammed welfare reforms and their impact on the most vulnerable, delegates overwhelmingly supported a range of measures to fight the Westminster government’s attacks on the Welfare State. Full story at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/conf2013/lgindex.htm

Mahmoud Sarsak urges strong support for Israel boycott on visit to Glasgow

Palestinian footballer Mahmoud Sarsak urged a packed meeting of trade unionists in Glasgow today to keep up the boycott pressure on Israel.The fomer political detainee and hunger striker  gave a harrowing account of being tortured during his three years held without charge or trial or visits from family.

Speaking at a meeting in UNISON's Glasgow offices, he described what happened to him after he was detained by the Israeli security services in July 2009, when they took "both my dignity and my freedom."

 

Mahmoud said he and others, including child prisoners, were abused and suffered medical neglect.

 

Palestinian footballer joins UNISON in call for sporting boycott of Israel

13 June 2013

Mahmoud Sarsak Meeting 12.30pm - Friday 14th June 2013
UNISON, 14 West Campbell Street, GLASGOW G2 6RX

 Palestinian international footballer Mahmoud Sarsak – recently released from detention by the occupying Israeli forces after a three month hunger strike - will speak about his nation’s struggle for international recognition at a public meeting in Glasgow tomorrow (Friday 14 June)

 

Public service union UNISON, which has been a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause, is hosting the event.

#austerityuncovered in Scotland with #STUC's There is a Better Way 21-29 June

13 June 2013
The STUC is organising a series of events and meetings this month under the banner of Austerity Uncovered and There is a Better Way.

Details from There is a Better Way website...

"AUSTERITY UNCOVERED:

"A nationwide tour, gathering the evidence to convict government policies. Austerity is hurting, but it isn’t working.

UNISON warns of risks from planning and regulation cuts

12 June 2013

 

Severe cuts in council planning departments are leading to potential safety risks for the public, reducing the quality of the service delivered and worsening inequalities, a survey of UNISON members has revealed today.

And the union argues that the essential protections needed to “protect the public from unscrupulous and dangerous practices” - and to ensure that Scotland is a safe place to live and work - will be weakened in the Scottish government’s new Regulation Bill.

No UNISON member is handing back a knighthood - #YestoFairPay

UNISON Scotland can confirm today that no members of the public service union will be handing back a knighthood.

The union confirmed that, unlike James Crosby, former chief executive of HBOS, none of the union's 160,000 members who work delivering public services across Scotland will be the subject of a meeting of the Honours Forfeiture Committee.

A spokesperson for UNISON Scotland said:

“Whatever embarrassment the disgraced banker now known as Mister Crosby might be feeling will, we are sure, be eased by the fact that he still has a yearly pension of £406,000.

UNISON members won't have to pay new employment tribunal fees. #JoinUNISON

12 June 2013

Another good reason to #JoinUNISON...

UNISON members taking union-supported employment tribunal cases will not have to pay the new fee of up to £1,200 that the government is introducing from summer 2013.

The new plans will mean that claimants will pay an initial fee to start the claim and another fee if the claim goes to a hearing. These can add up to £1,200 for the more complex cases.

UNISON and STUC on Call Kaye about the falling value of wages #YestoFairPay

12 June 2013

The BBC Scotland Call Kaye programme had contributions today from UNISON's Dave Watson and Dave Moxham, from the STUC.

The subject was the falling value of wages, something Dave Watson blogged on yesterday.

The full programme is online here, with the start of this topic just after 3 minutes in.

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b02117ds

UNISON warns social work standards are at risk from austerity cuts

12 June 2013

 

Social workers meeting in Glasgow today (Wed) warned that managers and the Scottish Government must do more protect services to the most vulnerable in the face of austerity cuts.

Stephen Smellie, Vice Convener of UNISON Scotland, told a seminar on ethical social work that cutbacks are placing unprecedented pressures on services and on staff working to ensure professional standards are upheld.