Join the protests
Thursday 21 February from 9am
UNISON, the biggest union in Edinburgh Council, will join Edinburgh Trades Union Council and community groups to lobby the council and the Scottish Parliament on 21 February 2019 to say ‘enough is enough’ as Edinburgh faces yet another cut of over £30 million. Continue reading ENOUGH IS ENOUGH: No More Cuts!
While media political attention focused on Westminster for the latest installment of the Brexit Show and Mrs May’s no-confidence vote, the Scottish Government’s budget was debated at Holyrood on Wednesday. Continue reading Scotland’s Budget: stimulus and stability – or frustration and disappointment?
Another £3 million to be cut – but Council Tax set to rise again
“That’s the real effect of cuts. In local government, you cut the people, you cut a service.”
Council tax will go up and leisure services will be cut under the city city council’s budget proposals for the coming year. The SNP – Labour ‘Capital Coalition’ administration says no jobs will be lost, but service cuts are inevitable despite a better than expected Scottish Government settlement. Trade unions say council services are being ‘silently slaughtered’ and year on year cuts threaten the council’s ability to meet its statutory duties. Continue reading Silent Slaughter: Capital braced for more council cuts
Under pressure: City care workers issue distress call
A UNISON survey of the city council’s Health and Social Care workers has concluded that they feel ‘overworked, over-pressured, unsupported and disbelieved’. The report says many care staff are taking on more work than they can safely manage. Continue reading Council’s care staff feel ‘overworked, over-pressured, unsupported and disbelieved’
“If we want our most vulnerable citizens to be treated as well as they deserve, the Scottish Government and the council have to face facts: good care costs money.” – Kirsten Hey, UNISON
UNISON City of Edinburgh is relieved that the difficulties in social care which we have raised for so long are finally making the news headlines, and we welcome Michelle Miller’s recent statement that social care services are under-funded. We do not like to use the word “crisis” as it can cause great anxiety for vulnerable people and their families, but at this time it is apt. Continue reading Social care in crisis: UNISON calls for fully funded services
UNISON’s Edinburgh branch, the union representing council staff, fears new council proposals will mean Edinburgh’s schools will no longer have their own janitor and cleaning hours will be cut. The union is asking voters to challenge candidates to oppose the cuts in the run-up to Thursday’s local elections. Continue reading ‘One janitor, one school … and keep our cleaners’ – UNISON Edinburgh in pre-election appeal
Around 300 staff who work at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh have become NHS employees. Continue reading Royal Infirmary domestic staff transfer to NHS Lothian
UNISON, the union representing Edinburgh Council workers, will lobby the City of Edinburgh Council’s budget meeting this morning, calling on the Labour/SNP administration to expose ‘the human cost of yet more massive Government cuts.’ Continue reading Councillors urged: Stand Up for Local Services
All Edinburgh libraries face reduced opening hours, some will close and merge with other services, mobile library stops will vanish and Community Learning and Development jobs are to be axed in a £6.4 million cuts package, warns the Edinburgh branch of UNISON, the public service union. Continue reading UNISON reveals ‘hidden and drastic’ cuts to libraries and community learning services
