GMB call for increase of £1 an hour

‘Members across Scotland say that in their experience you need at least £10 an hour and a full working week to have a decent life free from benefits and tax credits’ – GMB Scotland

coinGMB Scotland is calling for an increase of £1 per hour towards the GMB Congress target of a living wage of at least £10 per hour.

The items in the trade union’s claim, submitted to Cosla last Friday, are: £1 an hour increase on all hourly rates of pay, consolidation of living wage supplements and the removal of all pay points below the living wage pay level. The next review of pay is 1 April 2015.

GMB Scotland launched the pay campaign with photo calls at ten locations across Scotland, with GMB members employed by Scottish local authorities holding up large replica of a £1 coin

Alex McLuckie, GMB Scotland’s Senior Organiser, said: “GMB is kicking off this campaign for Scottish local council workers to receive a £1 an hour increase on their basic salary from April 2015. This is a step towards the target of a living wage of £10 per hour set by GMB Congress in 2014.

“GMB members across Scotland say that in their experience you need at least £10 an hour and a full working week to have a decent life free from benefits and tax credits. Less than £10 an hour means just existing not living. It means a life of isolation, unable to socialise. It means a life of constant anxiety over paying bills and of borrowing from friends, family and pay day loan sharks just to make ends meet.

“Many of our members provide vital frontline services and while these jobs are crucial to many of Scotland’s councils, the people providing these services are some of the lowest of paid.

“Over the years Scotland’s council workers have either received a minimal pay rise or no pay rise at all. Further to this many GMB members may have suffered a cut in earnings through hours being reduced, while at the same time having their workload increased with staff leaving without being replaced.

“With the reality of low pay and increasing workloads, coupled with the vital services which our members provide for Scotland’s councils, GMB Scotland believe £1 an hour rise on all basic salaries is a way of acknowledging the work done by Scotland’s council workers.”

GMB

Man hospitalised after nightclub assault

A man has been treated in hospital for a facial injury after being attacked in Frederick Street’s Suva nightclub. Police said the 28-year-old was standing at the side of the dance floor when a man struck him on the face with an “unknown object” at about 02:30 on Saturday.

The victim was taken to hospital for treatment and was later released. The suspect is described as white and in his 20s. He was wearing dark clothing and was last seen running from the club.

Det Con Douglas Mogg said: “The victim suffered a painful injury to his face and we are pursuing a number of lines of inquiry to trace the male responsible. Anyone who was in the club and witnessed the attack or who has information that can help us trace the suspect is urged to contact police immediately.”

African Tudors remembered

African people in sixteenth century Scotland
– A forgotten population. But remembered today

Wednesday 3rd December 2014
12.45pm-1.30pm
Join historian Onyeka at the Scottish National Gallery as he discusses the untold story of African people in Scotland during the Tudor period.

Onyeka is the author of Blackamoores: Africans in Tudor England, their Presence, Status and Origins, a groundbreaking publication that unearths the hidden history of African people in Tudor England and Scotland. The research in Blackamoores highlights the contribution African people made to the development of cities such as Edinburgh and challenges the commonly held belief that these people were slaves or placed at the lowest rung of society.

In his groundbreaking book, Onyeka argues that African people were present in cities and towns throughout England, but that they did not automatically occupy the lowest positions in Tudor society. This is important because the few modern historians who have written about Africans in Tudor England suggest that they were all slaves, or transient immigrants who were considered as dangerous strangers and the epitome of otherness. However, this book shows that some Africans in England had important occupations in Tudor society, and were employed by powerful people because of the skills they possessed. These people seem to have inherited some of their skills from the multicultural societies that they came from, but that does not mean all of those present in England were born in other countries: some were born in England.

 The arguments in this book are supported by evidence from a variety of  sources both manuscript and printed, most of which has not been widely  discussed – whilst some of it Onyeka has discovered, and this may be the first  time that it has been revealed. Other evidence is taken from texts that are the  subject of popular discussion by historians, linguists and so on, but Onyeka  encourages the reader to re-examine these works in a different way because  they reveal information about the presence, status and origins of Africans in  Tudor England.

African people in sixteenth century Scotland
– A forgotten population, But remembered today

Wednesday 3rd December 2014  12.45pm-1.30pm

Free admission

Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, The Mound, Edinburgh EH2 2EL

This will be a thrilling afternoon and one of the last opportunities to hear Onyeka discuss this subject matter.

For more information please visit www.narrative-eye.org.uk or email admin@narrative-eye.org.uk

 

Two men assaulted and robbed in Leith

PolicePolice are appealing for witnesses after two men were assaulted and robbed in Leith on Thursday evening. The incident happened at around 9.40pm in Breadalbane Street.

A 21-year-old and 19-year-old were sitting in a car waiting for a friend when three men approached the vehicle. Two of the suspects produced knives and threatened the pair, while the third suspect, who was in possession of a metal pole, searched the car for valuables.

Both victims were struck on the head with the pole during the robbery before the three men responsible made off. Fortunately neither required medical attention.

Police are urging anyone who can assist with their enquiries to come forward.

The suspects are all described as being white, 25-30-years-old, between 5ft 8ins and 5ft 9ins tall with slim builds and wearing dark hooded tops and dark trousers.

Detective Constable Graham McIlwraith said: “The victims were taken by surprise when the suspects approached their car and produced weapons before robbing them of their personal possessions. Thankfully, though, neither of them were injured and we are now conducting local enquiries to trace the men responsible.

“Anyone who was in or around Breadalbane Street on Thursday evening and remembers seeing anything suspicious is asked to contact police immediately. We would also request that anyone who recognises the description of the suspects, or who has any further information relevant to this investigation, gets in touch as soon as possible.”

Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101 or alternatively, the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Northview Court assault: man charged

Northviewcourt_dp_220x150[1]A 33-year-old man has been arrested and charged with assault to severe injury after a 28-year old man was found seriously assaulted at Northview Court last Saturday (8 November).

He has also been charged with a separate and unconnected serious assault that took place on Elm Row on 28 October.

The man is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

Council offices on the move

1 Cockburn Street is closing

Council services currently based at 1 Cockburn Street are moving. The building will close at 3.40pm on Friday 28 November.

City Centre and Leith Neighbourhood Office

From 8.30am on Monday 1 December, the City Centre and Leith Neighbourhood can be found at Customer Hub, 249 High Street

0131 529 7061

Services from here include:

  • paying Council Tax and rent
  • housing, including bidding on properties through Key to Choice
  • reporting anti-social behaviour or environmental crime
  • parks and green spaces
  • roads issues.

Or you can access these services at our Leith Office, Leith Library, 28-30 Ferry Road

0131 529 6170

Homeless and Housing Support Services

From 9am on Monday 1 December, Homeless and Housing Support Services can be found at

1A Parliament Square

0131 529 7368

Services from here include:

  • housing advice
  • housing options
  • temporary accommodation
  • support to remain in your own home
  • immigration and asylum support.

CEClogo

Community meeting to discuss Granton Mill vandalism

West Pilton/West Granton Community  Council has organised a special community meeting to discuss vandalism in the Granton Mill area.

The meeting will take place on

TUESDAY 25 NOVEMBER from 6.30 – 8pm

in Craigroyston Community High School

Police, council officials and councillors have been invited to the event and a council Community Safety officer will report on what steps are being taken to tackle the problems.

The meeting also offers an opportunity to meet with other concerned residents and tenants who are working for the betterment of the area, and community council secretary Willie Black hopes Granton Mill’s residents will attend, get involved and make a difference.

“Why not come along to the meeting and have your say? With your help we can all make Granton Mill a place where everyone can be proud to live and work”, he said.

For further information contact Willie Black (Secretary) on 07515686421 or email w.black@blueyonder.co.uk

Community Council Public Meeting

The joys of Latin … mea culpa!

romanSubscribers to the NEN blog email alerts and Twitter feeds may have been surprised to receive some Latin texts this morning. Takes me back to the good old days of double Latin: ‘Amo, amas, amat …’ 

Don’t worry: we don’t plan to move into new languages (or the classics, come to that) any time soon – mastering English grammar is difficult enough. No, the problem was caused by the development work that’s ongoing – normally that goes on in the background and you won’t be aware of it, but some testing is taking place and hence the Roman invasion!

Normal service has been resumed, please accept our apologies  – and there will be no charge for the Latin lessons!