Tag: UNISON

Scotland set for a Summer of Strikes?

Public sector workers seem set on a collision course with local and national government over inadequate wage rises …

The General Secretary Designate of teachers union the EIS yesterday urged all of Scotland’s teachers to get active in the campaign to secure a 10% pay rise.

Ms Bradley addressed delegates on the final day of the EIS Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Dundee Caird Hall, and just ahead of a rally in support of the EIS ‘Pay Attention’ Campaign in the Civic Square outside the conference venue.

Addressing the AGM, Ms Bradley said, “The obvious and pressing priority is our Pay Attention campaign. We’ve staked our claim, nailed our colours to the mast … now we need to win.

“Listening to our speakers on the issue of pay over the last few days, I know we’ve got what it takes to win this. To win it because it’s simply unacceptable that teachers and other public sector workers would be expected to bear the burden of yet another crisis that’s been created by the economic vandalism of the Tory government and a Cabinet of millionaires …utterly morally bankrupt and more intent on callous racketeering and profiteering than they are on caring about people and supporting recovery.”

“We can’t allow COSLA to peddle the myth of the One Workforce agenda. Or the Scottish Government to quietly sit there on the side-lines being let off the hook by a raft of egalitarian-sounding rhetoric that’s in truth about pay suppression for teachers and by dint of that the rest of the public sector. We know One Workforce is utter fallacy and I have a sense that the other public sector unions know it as well.”

“If we’re to win a pay rise that protects teachers’ incomes from the worst of the cost of living increases, from every corner of the union, we need to keep building what will be a formidable display of our union strength.  We’ve started building this – the press statements, the campaign materials, the branch meetings, the petition, the social media activity, and the demo outside this building later this morning.”

“With full-blown organising, comms and political campaigning… synchronicity of actions with local associations, we’ll be ballot ready, strike ready by October and with a strong industrial action strategy mapped out so that we’re strike ready and strike able.

“From the speeches and applause that we’ve heard this AGM about pay and the other inter-related injustices it sounds like you’re well up for taking this on …and so am I!”

COSLA STATEMENT ON PAY NEGOTIATIONS

COSLA is deeply disappointed that the First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance have refused the request of all Council Leaders to engage in discussions regarding the current settlement for Local Government and its significant impact on our ongoing pay negotiations.  

The implications of the Scottish Government’s spending plans for the rest of the parliament are deeply concerning for communities across Scotland and have further increased the already strong likelihood of industrial action in the coming months.  

Scottish Government continues to fail to respect the fundamental role Local Government and its workforce has in addressing their own priorities of tackling child poverty, climate change and a stronger economy.

The ‘Resource Spending Review’, published on 31 May, shows that Local Government’s core funding for the next 3 years will remain static at time when inflation and energy costs are soaring.

This “flat-cash” scenario gives no scope to recognising the essential work of our staff, whose expectations, quite rightly, are being influenced by Scottish Government’s decisions in relation to other parts of the public sector. A suggestion that increases in welfare payments will mitigate the cost of living crisis do not recognise that our staff should not have to depend on such payments to make ends meet.

As things stand, the only option available to Councils is yet fewer jobs and cuts to services that are essential to communities everywhere.

COSLA’s Resources Spokesperson Gail Macgregor said:  “COSLA, every year, argues for fair funding for Local Government to maintain the essential services our communities rely on.  

“No increase in our core funding damages these services and limits the options we have in successfully concluding pay negotiations. Refusal to engage in discussion will only see this continue and our communities will see and feel the difference.”

The Fraser of Allander Institute has recognised the impact on councils:  “The local government budget will decline by 7% in real terms between 2022/23 and 2026/27 … the real terms erosion of the funding allocations of local authorities represents the continuation of a longer trend.”

UNISON, Scotland’s largest local government union, will be balloting its members in a dispute over pay. The union is planning targeted strike action – this means select groups of workers will be balloted.

UNISON is campaigning for a pay rise for ALL local government workers.

The groups that will be balloted for strike action are members employed working in schools, who provide services to the running and operation of the school, and all members working in early years and in waste and recycling services. The union is recommending that vote ‘YES’ in favour of strike action.

The ballot will run from 10 June and will close on 26 July. It is vital that all ballots are posted back in good time to ensure we receive them by closing date.

Why are we balloting?

Having consistently worked above and beyond to keep our key services going over the past two years of the pandemic, and with the cost of living spiralling, COSLA’s offer of a 2 per cent pay increase for local government workers is nothing short of an insult.

While politicians have raced to praise your efforts their warm words have not been matched by action.

Earlier this year we ran an online consultation to see what you and other local government members thought of the employers’ 2022 pay offer. It was no surprise that the overwhelming majority of you voted to reject the offer and indicated your willingness to take action to achieve a better deal.

Nothing has changed since then and we now need you to vote YES to take strike action to remind your employers exactly how you feel.

This offer is derisory. It is less than the Scottish Public Sector Pay policy, falls far short of our pay claim and is significantly below current levels of inflation. It will exacerbate the gap between those on the lowest and those on the highest rates of pay.

And it is in sharp contrast to the 5.2% increase that councillors themselves have just received from 1st April 2022.

GMB Scotland has attacked “failure at all levels of government” as an industrial action ballot across local government gets underway this morning (Monday 6 June) against the threats of a 2 per cent pay offer and swingeing cuts to local jobs and services.

Nearly 10,000 GMB members in waste and cleansing and schools and early years services will be asked if they back strikes in the face of a pay offer from employer body COSLA amounting to less than £10 a week for staff earning under £25,000 a year.

Joint trade unions in local government wrote to the First Minister and the Finance Secretary last week seeking urgent talks and warned about the consequences for council workers of significantly below inflation pay with the cost of living at a forty-year high.

The ballot, which runs throughout the summer until Tuesday 26 July, also takes place amid dire forecasts for local government budgets following the Scottish Government’s spending review plans.

GMB Scotland Senior Organiser Keir Greenaway warned: “Council workers and the vital services they deliver are firmly in the sights of Kate Forbes’s cuts agenda, and if left unchallenged the lowest paid will pay the highest price in the biggest cost-of-living crisis for 40 years.

“This is what years of failure at all levels of government looks like – a decade of failed austerity, the passing on of cuts to communities, and a meek acceptance of the consequences locally. It’s a far cry from the doorstep applause of virtue-signalling political leaders just two years ago.

“It shows everyone there are no political superheroes and if you want wages that confront soaring inflation then you need to organise and fight for it.

“That’s exactly what our members are doing and unless an improved pay offer is tabled then industrial action looks inevitable.”

RMT launch 3 days of national strike action across the railway network

Over 50,000 railway workers will walkout as part of 3 days of national strike action later this month, in the biggest dispute on the network since 1989.

The union will shut down the country’s railway network on 21st, 23rd and 25th June, due to the inability of the rail employers to come to a negotiated settlement with RMT.

Network Rail and the train operating companies have subjected their staff to multiyear pay freezes and plan to cut thousands of jobs which will make the railways unsafe.

Despite intense talks with the rail bosses, RMT has not been able to secure a pay proposal nor a guarantee of no compulsory redundancies.

In a separate dispute over pensions and job losses, London Underground RMT members will take strike action on June 21st.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said: “Railway workers have been treated appallingly and despite our best efforts in negotiations, the rail industry with the support of the government has failed to take their concerns seriously.

“We have a cost-of-living crisis, and it is unacceptable for railway workers to either lose their jobs or face another year of a pay freeze when inflation is at 11.1pc and rising.

“Our union will now embark on a sustained campaign of industrial action which will shut down the railway system.

“Rail companies are making at least £500m a year in profits, whilst fat cat rail bosses have been paid millions during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“This unfairness is fuelling our members anger and their determination to win a fair settlement.

“RMT is open to meaningful negotiations with rail bosses and ministers, but they will need to come up with new proposals to prevent months of disruption on our railways.”

A snap poll from the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and Opinium showed the cost of living was the top issue for 75% of the Scottish electorate when casting their ballot in May.

This was followed by 60% citing the NHS as their primary concern, with public services (21%), housing (15%), Brexit (20%) and the environment (19%) all taking voter preference over the constitution (14%).

The news was cited as a ‘wake-up call’ from the Scottish Trades Union Congress leader Roz Foyer, who will host a specific cost of living crisis summit on June 17th with the Poverty Alliance.

Ms Foyer said: “These elections should be a wake-up call to all levels of government – local, Scottish and UK – that workers throughout the country need urgent and sustained help in the face of this brutal attack on their living standards.

“By far and away, with 75% of the electorate in Scotland citing the cost of living crisis as their top concern, with health, housing and the environment their taking preference over the constitution, all incoming councillors must make this their most urgent priority.

“Our local government manifesto made clear we need sustained investment from the Scottish Government to local authorities throughout the country, helping to deliver a real terms pay increase for our public sector workers. This is in addition to delivering on rent freezes, settling equal pay disputes and introducing universal free school meals throughout the country.

“This is the type of real terms action we need from councillors and government throughout Scotland. Our movement, with affiliates currently balloting for industrial action across the country, are not standing idle whilst workers face this material threat to their living conditions.”

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service sign TUC’s Dying to Work Charter and commit to employees

Charter protects rights at work for those facing a terminal illness

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has signed up to the Dying to Work Campaign which aims to help employees who become terminally ill at work.

The campaign is managed by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and employers are encouraged to sign up to a voluntary charter which makes a number of commitments to employees.

Signing the voluntary charter of the Dying to Work Campaign is an employer’s commitment to ensure that all employees who have a terminal illness have adequate employment protection and its aim is to provide financial security at a time when it is most needed.

The signatories on the charter include SFRS, Unison, Unite, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), the Fire Officers Association (FOA), the Fire Leaders Association (FLA) and the Fire and Rescue Services Association (FRSA).

At SFRS head office in Cambuslang a joint signing ceremony was held on Monday, February 21 which was attended by the following:

  • Martin Blunden, Chief Officer, SFRS
  • Kirsty Darwent, Board Chair, SFRS
  • Liz Barnes, Director of People and Organisational Development. SFRS
  • Gillian Clark, Human Resources & Organisational Development Manager, SFRS
  • Pat Rafferty, STUC
  • Debbie Hutchings, Unite the Union
  • Ian Sim, Regional Secretary, FBU
  • David Crawford, Scottish Representative, FRSA
  • Andrew Hopkinson, National Secretary, FLA
  • Glyn Morgan, Strategic Advisor/Assistant Chief Executive, FOA

SFRS Chief Officer Martin Blunden, said: “We support the TUC’s Dying to Work Campaign and in signing the Dying to Work Charter, we show our continued commitment to the welfare of the staff of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

“The health and wellbeing of our staff is a priority and when employees are faced with a serious or terminal illness, it is important that they are able to choose the path that is right for them and their families, without having the additional worry of financial uncertainty.

“We hope that the signing of this charter will provide reassurance to our employees that they have the support of their employer at a time when they need it the most.”

STUC President / Unite Scottish Secretary, Pat Rafferty, said: “The STUC wholeheartedly supports the Dying to Work Charter and we warmly welcome the SFRS showing leadership by committing to it as well.

“It’s vital that organisations and employers support workers who become terminally ill. In these circumstances the worker and their families face huge emotional stress, anxiety, and possible financial worries.

“The Dying to Work Charter can help to alleviate some of these stresses and sets out a progressive way in which workers should be treated, and supported in the event of a terminal diagnosis.

“The Charter is about giving an individual options around how they want to proceed at work. In some cases, an individual will want to continue to work for as long as they can while in other cases a person may decide that they do not want to work anymore, and would rather spend their remaining time with family and friends. Therefore, we thank the SFRS for signing the Charter and allowing workers to exercise choice in the most difficult of circumstances.”

FBU Regional Secretary Ian Sim, said: “The Fire and Rescue Service within Scotland has a proud history of treating terminally ill employees in a sympathetic and dignified manner, I am delighted that SFRS are now also making this public commitment by signing the Dying to Work Charter. 

“The Charter provides staff members and their family with peace of mind, financial security and freedom of choice at a time when they are facing the most heart-breaking of circumstances.”

Scottish Representative for the FRSA, David Crawford said: “The FRSA proudly supports the Dying to Work Charter which demonstrates a public commitment to treat terminally ill employees with the necessary support, while showing empathy and sensitivity in what is a very difficult time emotionally and financially for employees and their families.

“We would also wish to thank the SFRS and other stakeholders for signing the Charter, which emphasises the strength of feeling of just how important this matter is to all employees and how it could affect anyone within the organisation.”

National Secretary, Fire Leaders Association, Andrew Hopkinson said: “It is great to see the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service continuing to demonstrate their wholehearted commitment to looking after their employees by publicly signing up to the Dying to Work Charter.

“In doing so, they are joining a growing number of organisations across the UK who have given their staff the comfort of knowing they and their families will be well supported by the Service and treated with the respect and dignity they deserve should they be diagnosed with a terminal illness.”

Glyn Morgan, Strategic Advisor, Fire Officers’ Association said: “Adoption of the Dying to Work Charter is a very positive step for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

“Although it would be hoped that all employers would treat terminally ill employees and their families with compassion that may not always be the case. Signing the Charter is a very welcome commitment to support and assist people whilst alleviating worries about employment matters during very difficult times.”

Gillian Bannatyne, Regional Organiser Unison, said:  “It’s a sad truth that people of working age will contract terminal illnesses. If that happens they deserve support from their employer – either to continue working, or spend their remaining time with their loved ones.

“We are absolutely behind SFRS in making this commitment to those workers who find themselves in tragic circumstances, and we would urge other organisations to do the same.”

Union’s ‘deep dismay’ over Edinburgh care home closures

UNISON, the union for carers, has expressed deep dismay at the decision to close an Edinburgh care home. The decision was passed by the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (IJB) – which commissions health and social services from the City – at a meeting on Tuesday.

 UNISON, Scotland’s largest union, has been campaigning to prevent the closure of five council-run Edinburgh care homes, including Drumbrae. A further four council-run homes – Ferrylee, Clovenstone, Fords Road and Jewel House are all being earmarked for closure but subject to public consultation. 

Tom Connolly, UNISON Edinburgh City branch secretary, said: “The people of Edinburgh can feel very let down by this decision to close a much-needed local service, not least the elderly and vulnerable who reside in the care home and now face an uncertain future. 

“UNISON will continue its campaign to save public sector-run care homes and prevent them going into private hands. People need to come before profit and UNISON will continue its fight to save Edinburgh’s public run care homes and call for all private run care homes to be brought into the public sector.”

Greig Kelbie, UNISON regional organiser, said: “The decision to close Drumbrae was made without any public consultation and is a real slap in the face to the most vulnerable people in the city. 

“UNISON understands there is a substantial waiting list for homes in the area, so if the need hasn’t gone away then why should the services?” 

Edinburgh Integration Joint Board is chaired by Labour councillor Ricky Henderson and membership includes local politicians Councillor Melanie Main (Scottish Greens), Councillor George Gordon (SNP), Councillor Robert Aldridge (Liberal Democrats) and Councillor Phil Doggart (Conservative).

Save Our Care Homes: public demonstration on Tuesday

UNISON will be hosting a public demonstration outside the Edinburgh City Chambers on Tuesday 28th September from 9.30am as we continue to put pressure on decision makers to #SaveOurCareHomes.

If you can’t make the demo: – Sign and share the petition: https://www.megaphone.org.uk/…/edinburgh-city-save-our…–

Send a pre-drafted letter to your MSP: https://action.unison.org.uk/page/86495/action/1

‘Council staff are worth more’ says UNISON as members are balloted on strike action

UNISON, Scotland’s largest local government union, has started to issue formal industrial action ballot papers in a dispute over pay.

COSLA, the umbrella body representing council employers, had previously offered staff earning less than £25,000 a flat rate rise of £800. Last week COSLA came back with a revised offer of £850 – working out at approximately 97p per week for the lowest paid staff.

The union says council staff who have kept services and schools running throughout the pandemic deserve a proper pay rise. They say the latest pay offer falls far short of their pay claim and does little to address low pay which has become endemic following a decade of austerity.

The trade union says that councils have suffered a decade of cuts and jobs losses, and that staff have received year-on-year pay cuts. It has meant delivering services has become increasingly stressful for the workforce.

Pressure is mounting on both COSLA leaders and the Scottish Government to find an urgent resolution to this issue.

UNISON intends to take targeted strike action, which means select groups of workers will be balloted. These include members working in school cleaning, school catering, school janitorial as well as those working in waste and recycling services.  

Tom Connolly, Branch secretary said: “The last 18 months have taken an enormous toll on council staff who have been working flat out for no reward. Their courage and sacrifices need to be rewarded, yet the employers are failing to recognise their efforts.

“These workers, mostly women, are amongst the lowest paid in the country and have seen their pay drop substantially in recent years. The pay offer falls far short of their colleagues in the NHS and local government workers are left feeling exhausted and undervalued. Scotland’s council workers deserve fair pay.”

Johanna Baxter, UNISON Scotland head of local government, said: “We’ve all relied on council staff to keep our communities clean and safe, protect the most vulnerable and to work in our schools throughout successive lockdowns to allow others to work.

“Without these workers going above and beyond to keep services running over the past year their colleagues in the NHS would have been left without childcare, our mortuaries would have been overwhelmed, our children would have been left without an education and our elderly would have been left without care.

“Yet to date they have received no reward or recognition of their efforts at all. It’s simply not good enough – our council staff are worth more.”

The ballot will run from 1 – 22 September 2021.

• Useful reading: https://unison-scotland.org/local-government-pay-ballot/

• One year of Covid Survey, a survey of UNISON members working in local government in Scotland. https:// www.unison-scotland.org/wp-content/uploads/LG-One-Yr-of-Covid-Survey-Report-April21-1.pdf

Save Our Care Homes: protest lobby at City Chambers tomorrow

UNISON will be holding a static lobby outside the Edinburgh City Chambers tomorrow (Tuesday 17th August) from 9.30am to coincide with the meeting of the Edinburgh Integrated Joint Board (EIJB) meeting taking place at 10am.

Although this meeting will not be making a final decision on care home closures, they will be planning to move forward with wider consultation on the issue, with the purpose of coming to a decision at a meeting in September.

It was UNISON’s quick actions that ensured the EIJB did not move forward with the proposed closures at their meeting on 22nd June 2021.

UNISON will be making a deputation to the meeting tomorrow and will be calling for:

  • the saving of our care homes;
  • meaningful engagement with the trade unions;
  • call for proper impact assessments; and
  • the need to have a wide-ranging meaningful public consultation.

UNISON want care homes to remain run by and for the public and not run by private companies for private profit.

If publicly owned and run care homes are not up to standard, then investment in adaptation, or the building of new care homes must be done to ensure that any demand can be met.

Staff in care home must be paid a decent wage, have access to developmental training and feel secure in their employment.

The lobby outside the City Chambers on Tuesday 17th August is only part of the union’s campaign to ‘Save Our Care Homes’ and UNISON plan to build to a bigger event for the September meeting.

You can sign UNISON’s petition here and click here for a link to a ready-made email to your MSP.

The Another Edinburgh is Possible campaign group is also urging the capital’s citizens to support the fight against care home closures:

‘Join the protest rally outside the City Chambers as the Edinburgh Integrated Joint Board meets on Tuesday 17th August. It’s likely that the board will hold a special meeting in September to make the decision to close 5 out of the 9 local authority care homes in Edinburgh.

‘We want to build a campaign that is so strong that when that meeting takes place the board has no option but to drop its’ closure plans. Three Edinburgh City Councillors sit on the board. We’ve written to the leaders of all five party groups on the council demanding that their group takes a clear and unambiguous public position in opposition to the closures.’

‘Devastating’: Care workers launch campaign to save Edinburgh’s council care homes

UNISON, the trade union for social care, has launched a campaign with care staff to save care council run care homes in Edinburgh. 

The campaign follows proposals put forward by Edinburgh Integrated Joint Board to close Clovenstone, Ferrylee, Ford’s Road and Jewel House Care Homes. Furthermore, Drumbrae will also close as a care home and switch to hospital-based complex clinical care.

The proposals mean large scale disruption for care residents and 270 care home posts will be deleted and a further 160 care home jobs put at risk.  

Care staff are in the process of writing to Edinburgh City Council leader councillor Adam McVey as part of UNISON’s on-going campaign to step in and save these council run care homes.

UNISON are also running an online petition to show councillors the depth of feelings of residents, staff, and those in the wider community. Over 100 people signed the petition in one day. Further campaign action and demonstrations are planned.

blob:https://www.facebook.com/542f7f78-6fe5-44c8-9948-ee5af84b527c

Tom Connolly UNISON City of Edinburgh branch secretary said: “Closing four care homes, and changing the role of another, without proper and meaningful consultation is wrong. 

“It is devastating for care home’s residents. Its also insensitive to staff who have put the health and wellbeing of care residents before themselves and their families throughout this pandemic.  Caring for our vulnerable elderly is a vital job, care homes are essential and care staff deserve support from all of us.”

Greig Kelbie, regional organiser said: “We need the support of the Scottish Government to start planning and financing the next generation of modern fit-for-purpose care homes and Edinburgh councillors should stand up for council run care homes.

“Making these decisions without a fully costed plan on how community care and care at home would be an adequate replacement is a dangerous precedent to set.

Scotland’s care system already relies too heavily on for-profit care homes. Edinburgh can buck that trend by supporting council-run care homes that focus on providing quality care not making of money.  I urge everyone to back UNISON’s campaign to Save Our Care Homes, and sign, and leave a message, on our online petition.”

Care home staff at Fords Road

David Harrold, UNISON’S Service Conditions Convenor, met with staff from Ford’s Road Care Home yesterday and said afterwards: “Staff are united in their opposition to closures, they see no sense or long-term value in the proposals put forward by the Edinburgh Integrated Joint Board to close Clovenstone, Ferrylee, Ford’s Road and Jewel House Care Homes when it is clear there is no alternative services that can take on the responsibilities and workloads in their absence”.

The meeting at Ford’s Road Care Home was well attended with staff expressing their frustration at their employer’s attitude.

One attendee asked how he can receive the £500 government bonus last month, then be told the following that his future employment is in doubt! Another asked why councillors who have praised them throughout the pandemic and lockdown should now be so silent.

Despite this frustration their dedication to those in their care remains. UNISON ask that the public acknowledge this, by sending a clear message to both the Council and IJB that care home staff deserve better and that Edinburgh needs a viable care home system not just for today’s residents for the future generations.

UNISON’s online Edinburgh City Save our Care homes petition here:

Edinburgh City – Save Our Care Homes | Megaphone UK Edinburgh City – Save Our Care Homes | Megaphone UK

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=469&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Funisonedin%2Fvideos%2F196563992390945%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0

Comments on why people have signed the online petition include:

  • “Our elderly should be looked after not thrown aside where are they going to put the residents” – Tracey M.
  • “My mother receives care in an Edinburgh council care home. The place and staff as fantastic. I know the confusion that is caused by moving long term residents.” – Stewart D.
  • “Need council run care homes not everyone can afford private care” – Sharon S.

Unions launch workplace ballot at Scottish Water over £3,000 pay loss

Trade unions GMB Scotland, Unite Scotland and UNISON Scotland have jointly informed Scottish Water over a consultative ballot for industrial action in a dispute over pay.

The Joint Trade Unions are demanding a return to proper negotiations amid a pay and bonuses row which could mean Scottish Water workers losing up to £3,000.

A number of Scottish Water workers have already lost between £500 – £1000 through the removal of the supplement payment which averages overtime hours worked over a year.

The payment covered workplace issues such as standby and emergency works. However, Scottish Water have now imposed a new workplace system which reduces the supplemental payment and workers will now not be paid for working any additional hours.

GMB Scotland Organiser Gary Cook said: “It’s shameful opportunism in the grip of a public health crisis and shows how poorly Scottish Water value their workers.

“This is the kind of behaviour you would expect from a rogue employer, not a statutory corporation, and our unions have been left with no choice but to ballot our members.

“Scottish Water bosses are accountable to all of us, yet this pay cut imposition completely ignores the fair work principles the Scottish Government claims to promote, so this is also a test for Ministers as well.”

James O’Connell, Unite industrial officer added: “Unite is launching a consultative ballot at Scottish Water due to management imposing decisions which significantly affect the pay of the workforce. The decisions which have been unilaterally made by management could mean some workers losing up to £3,000 a year.

“We can’t understand why Scottish Water has chosen to take this incendiary course of action without even talking to the trade unions.

“Unite is demanding that the money which has been deducted so far be reimbursed to those workers affected by Scottish Water and management enter into meaningful negotiations with us before this dispute escalates to inevitable industrial action.”

Emma Phillips, UNISON regional organiser for Scottish Water said: “Scottish waste-watersupervisors have been working throughout the pandemic keeping Scotland clean and safe. They travel the length and breadth of Scotland dealing with waste and sewage emergencies. They are vital workers.

“It is not acceptable that Scottish Water are unilaterally proposing to cut pay cut of this workforce by up to £4000 per year. Scottish Water must get round the table and listen to staff this. UNISON and the other unions have no choice but to start a consultative ballot for industrial action.”

Ghosts of Budgets past (passed?)

UNISON: ‘Local government is at the point of collapse’

UNISON City of Edinburgh branch, has raised fears about the further budget cuts being presented to the city’s full council meeting today and condemns both the Scottish and UK governments for the continuing underfunding of Local Government. 

Over the past 10 years the council has seen hundreds of millions of pounds slashed from its budget resulting in hundreds of job losses, cuts to services, and the closing of third sector organisations. 

“Local government is at the point of collapse and the Scottish and UK Governments have done very little to prevent its demise while at the same time due to COVID-19 has asked it to do more,” said the union’s branch secretary Tom Connolly. 

“Providing services from the cradle to the grave, local government and the services it provides impact on all citizens. The continuing underfunding can have a serious impact on the effectiveness of the services being provided.” 

UNISON, the biggest union representing workers in Edinburgh council,  says that those employed in local government are fire fighting to keep services running, they feel undervalued and the increasing high levels of stress amongst staff is an example of the negative impact on the health and wellbeing of those staff. 

UNISON’s Plug the Gap campaign https://www.unison-scotland.org/protect-our-council-services/ has called on the government to bridge the £1 billion funding gap in local Government. COSLA has also called for the action to be taken to bridge the Funding Gap. 

“Everyone suffers if Local Government is not provided the funding that it needs to provide meaningful services across our communities,” added Tom Connolly. 

“Staff in local government need to be rewarded and paid well for the jobs that they do, there are many low paid workers in local government providing face to face support to or most vulnerable children and adults, in school, care homes etc.  

“Other council staff keep our public buildings clean, keep our roads clear, clean our streets and empty our bins, administrative and clerical workers dealing with benefits and other essential administrative tasks, all examples of low paid and undervalued workers who have continued to keep the city running.   

“These workers now need to be given the value that they have always deserved and rewarded with decent pay and conditions. Clapping does not pay the bills.”

As the city council’s budget meeting gets underway, some images from budgets past:

Stand Up for Care Workers!

Pay Fair for Care, urges UNISON rally

The UK has reached a crucial moment in terms of social care. Two key messages at the heart of UNISON’s Pay Fair for Care national day of action and rally were that we must ‘stand up for care workers’ and ‘keep up the pressure’.

The event – co-hosted by the Future Social Care Coalition, a cross-party alliance of more than 80 organisations and individuals – comes against a background of crisis in the social care sector.

That has been compounded by 11 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has raised awareness nationally of the work that care workers do, but in a context of increased risk to their own lives as the virus took a devastating toll on care homes and the vulnerable.

Yet many employees in care homes, together with those looking after people in the community, earn less than the real living wage of £9.50 an hour (£10.85 in London). UNISON wants ministers to ensure every care worker is on the real living wage rate, as a bare minimum.

UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea told those attending the rally: “Care is part of the infrastructure of this country … it is essential.”

Ms McAnea was able to refer to an independent report, commissioned by the Scottish government and only released moments before the rally, which stresses that the care sector is “highly gendered”, with 83% of the workforce being female.

“Were 83% male, she said, “it would not be marginalised as it is.”

But she continued: “This is a happy day – we’ve got fantastic support. Let’s stand up for care workers. Make what happens in care, fair and deliverable.”

Care worker and UNISON senior vice president Sian Stockham told the rally a little of her own story – and why she has started a petition to government to create an emergency support fund to increase care workers’ wages.

“The general public is calling us heroes and going out and clapping for us – let’s put those claps into words,” she said.

Not only is pay in the sector low, there’s also an issue with zero-hours contracts, she added. “How can you budget when you don’t know what you’re getting?”

Ms Stockham, who at 66 is unable to retire and has two jobs in order to make ends meet, went on: “There have been times when I couldn’t put my heating on. A few years ago, I remember walking around with holes in my shoes.”

On misconceptions about the nature of care work, she responded ironically: “Oh, I’m ‘low-skilled’,” before explaining just a few of the skills her work entails.

Many speakers stressed the need for cross-party political support for the issue – ‘it’s the only way to get things done’ was a recurring theme.

Liz Kendall, Labour’s shadow minister for social care, said: “Transforming social care is the challenge of our generation”, adding that, “We must make sure that all frontline care workers get the pay and conditions that they need.”

She – like many other speakers – noted that social care and the NHS “are inextricably linked”.

But not only was the current state of social care “morally wrong,” it was also “economically illiterate.” If carers have to give up work or reduce hours, or if a vulnerable person is stuck in hospital because of a lack of care, both are far more costly to the economy than properly funded social care.

The rally saw speakers from across the Westminster spectrum, from the charity and voluntary sector and from trade unions.

They included former health secretary Jeremy Hunt and independent peer Lord Victor Adebowale, the chief executive of the social care enterprise Turning Point, who stressed the need for a proper living wage for care workers.

Former minister for pensions Baroness Ros Altmann said that nobody disagreed about the need for an overhaul of the social care system, but “we need to get on with it” and “we need a new Beveridge,” referring to the 1942 report by Liberal economist William Beveridge that formed the basis for the Welfare State as part of the country’s recovery after WWII.

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner – herself a UNISON member and former care worker – described the pandemic has having “created a hunger and a thirst for us to do the right thing”.

Social care “saves the taxpayer so much money in the end,” she said. Stressing the importance of it being a cross-party campaign, she added: “But no more jam tomorrow”.

Two panel discussions sandwiched messages of support, which included video calls from national treasures Joanna Lumley and Jo Brand.

“I’m backing UNISON’s call for a living wage for all the care workers,” said the Ab Fab star. “They seem to be the invisible part of our nation’s health system. They look after millions of people, they do it for practically nothing and some of them for nothing at all. It seems massively unfair that they’re the forgotten ones.”

Comic and former nurse Jo Brand – after apologising for her “lockdown haircut” – said that “care workers are simply not rewarded for the very, very hard work that they do. Pay care workers a living wage.”

Other messages came from Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey, shadow immigration minister Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Labour peer David Blunkett and shadow minister for employment Seema Malhotra.

As the rally concluded, Ms AcAnea reminded everyone: “Let’s keep the pressure up!”