UNISON on the Edinburgh demo - NHS Glasgow Clyde CVS branch

Here's the UNISON NHS Glasgow Clyde and CVS branch video of yesterday's 20,000 strong march in Edinburgh, as featured on UNISON Scotland YouTube channel


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UNISON SCOTLAND NURSING CONFERENCE TUESDAY 2 NOVEMBER 2010 10-4.30pm - Trades Hall, 85 Glassford Street, Glasgow

Our public services are increasingly under attack and proposed job cuts in the NHS in Scotland could have a major impact on services and quality of patient care.

This one day conference is open to our members across the whole nursing family, including nurses, midwives, health visitors and healthcare assistants.

Together we will consider the key issues currently affecting members and offer an opportunity to discuss and debate the future for nursing in Scotland. £20.00 per delegate payable by your Branch. Contact Fiona Martin on 0141 342 2820 or f.martin @unison.co.uk

Speakers:

Nicola Sturgeon Cabinet Secretary for Health & Wellbeing

Keynote Speaker Ros Moore Chief Nurse for Scotland: 'My Ambitions for Nursing in Scotland'

Roger Thompson NMC Director of Standards and Registrations Increasing Public Protection: moving beyond the register

Gail Adams Head of Nursing for UNISON Launch of ‘Speaking Up and Speaking Out’ and ‘Raising and Escalating Concerns’

Mick McKeown, Principal Lecturer at University of Central Lancashire with Dave Mercer, Senior Lecturer at Liverpool University: Why nurses should not be in BNP Debate: Do we need as many registered nurses? Debate/discussion on skills mix and use of competences for Healthcare Support Workers.

Chair: Bridget Hunter, UNISON Lead Officer for Nursing in Scotland

UNISON wins important unsocial hours payments equal pay case

DATE: 6 August


An Employment Appeal Tribunal has backed UNISON’s claim that women working for St Helen’s and Knowsley NHS Trust are entitled to the same level of unsocial hours payments as men.

The Lancashire decision* paves the way for women at this trust and at other hospitals to challenge pay discrimination on the same grounds.

The women, working as healthcare assistants, domestic supervisors, and on reception, were paid time and one third for working on a Saturday, and time and two thirds for working on Sundays and bank holidays. But the men were paid at a higher rate of time and a half for Saturdays and double time for Sundays and bank holidays.

The trust claimed that unsocial hours payments were part of their staffs’ normal working week, and that payments for these hours could not be separated out from basic pay. Today, the Employment Appeal Tribunal has backed UNISON’s claim that unsocial hours payments are a separate term of the employment contract, and can be directly compared.

The case sets an important precedent, giving women at this trust and others, hope that they, too, can challenge unsocial hours payments that are more generous to men.

Dave Prentis, UNISON General Secretary, said:

“It is more than 40 years since the Equal Pay Act, and long overdue for employers to face up to their responsibilities to pay men and women equally. The decision made in this case clarifies that unsocial hours’ payments must also be 100% fair and equal.

“The employers have dragged their heels and forced these women to jump through legal hurdles in their fight for equality. They should now pay up, rather than wasting any more of the taxpayer’s precious funds on legal challenges.”


Information to Editors: *The case: Brownbill v St Helens and Knowsley.

From UNISON UK news release

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UNISON warns of legal action to protect English NHS from being torn apart

DATE: 6 Aug 2010

Forging ahead with plans to implement English NHS White Paper before consultation illegal warns UNISON

UNISON, the UK's largest public service union, is preparing to take urgent legal action to protect the NHS from being torn apart. The union says that NHS Chief Executive, Sir David Nicholson, is pressing ahead with plans that have neither Parliamentary approval nor legal backing.


The move centres around the status of the UK Government's latest NHS White Paper that proposes sweeping changes. Sir David Nicholson is accused by the union of pre-empting the result of the consultation and subsequent Parliamentary process by writing to Strategic Health Authorities, Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) and other providers with a series of "actions that we need to start now".

The letter states that under the present law it is simply unlawful to propose a series of far reaching, top-down changes to the NHS without giving the public, patients and interested parties, including UNISON, a proper opportunity to have their say about the proposals.

The union’s letter warns that unless the union gets a satisfactory response, urgent Judicial Review proceedings are on the cards.

Karen Jennings, UNISON Head of Health, said:

“The Government’s White Paper will change forever the NHS as we know it. These sweeping changes were not part of any party manifesto and it is outrageous that these changes are being brought in without consulting the public, patients, staff and unions.

“The NHS Constitution enshrined in law the right to consultation and yet, in writing to NHS managers, Sir David is working on the premise that the consultation is only about the best way to achieve pre-determined outcomes – this makes it nothing more than a paper exercise and a sham.

“We have asked for a response within 7 days and if we are not happy with the reply we are reserving the right to issue urgent Judicial Review proceedings.”



* “Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS

From UNISON UK news release


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UNISON welcomes health board elections pilots

UNISON today welcomed the strong interest shown in two pilot elections to health boards.

The public services union said the pilot elections in NHS Fife and NHS Dumfries & Galloway have been a success for supporters of democratic engagement.

Dave Watson, Scottish Organiser, said:

“UNISON campaigned hard for direct elections. We believe this will create a culture change on health boards of more openness and consultation.

“We are pleased so many people chose to stand in these pilot elections and that many thousands of people have voted, demonstrating a real appetite for involvement.

“UNISON hopes that the pilots will prove to be successful and that voters across Scotland will then be given the chance to elect members to their local NHS boards.”


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UNISON response to CPPR health spending report

UNISON today warned that a report on health expenditure in Scotland makes crude comparisons to criticise so-called productivity in Scotland and confuses health improvement with spending on the NHS.


The public services union also pointed out that the report is produced in association with KPMG and that the report looks like a sales pitch for their services.**

Scottish Organiser Dave Watson said:

“The fact is that improving public health requires a whole range of action and involves spending from other areas including income support, housing, social work, early years etc.

“This kind of ill-informed report does not properly respond to the real health issues affecting Scotland and should not be used to justify slashing NHS spending.

“If you are looking at ‘productivity’ you can’t use crude figures, but need to look at patient outcomes in detail.

“The report’s authors admit that it isn’t possible to make like for like productivity comparisons with England and they have highlighted the major flaws in the earlier Nuffield Trust report.”

John Gallacher, Secretary to UNISON’s Health Committee, added:

“We reject the report’s recommendation for the creation of a health regulator.

“Robust financial performance measures are applied in NHS Scotland, including direct accountability of Chief Executives and Board Chairs to the Minister – via public meetings. NHS Scotland has been successful in contributing to Scottish Government efficiency targets.”



ENDS


Notes For Editors:

1. UNISON’s response to the earlier, much-criticised Nuffield Trust report ‘Comparing NHS performance in the UK’ is at www.unison-scotland.org.uk/news/2010/janfeb/2001.htm



2. John Gallacher, Secretary to UNISON’s Health Committee, also commented on the Nuffield report at www.unison-scotland.org.uk/healthcare/nuffieldcomment20100121.html

 
The CPPR Report is at www.cppr.ac.uk/media/media_151602_en.pdf
 
**In it, KPMG states: "KPMG is at the forefront of change in healthcare. We are market leading providers of advice and implementation skills on efficiency and performance improvement. We are well placed to help the NHS and the wider public sector meet the challenges ahead."



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UNISON concerned over deep job cuts in NHS Scotland

Date: Thursday 3 June 2010

UNISON, the biggest Scottish health union, has expressed concern over deep job cuts planned by health boards across Scotland.

The boards have submitted their plans to Cabinet Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon who now intends to publish the full cuts. UNISON welcomes the publication of workforce projections and the establishment of a new partnership group with the trade unions to scrutinise the workforce plans.

Tam Waterson, Chair of UNISON Scotland’s Health Committee said:
“We are concerned at the scale of these planned job cuts. The Scottish Government’s commitment to ensure no compulsory redundancies is welcome, as is the involvement of unions in scrutiny of the health board plans. But it is clear that we face deep cuts which will impact on our vital health services.”

1250 job cuts are planned for Greater Glasgow and Clyde this year, 700 in Lothian – with another 1,300 in the pipeline for next year. Tayside plans to 500 full time equivalent jobs. Grampian has announced 600 job cuts, and Highland plans to cut 100.

NHS Scotland requires to save £270 million in the current financial year to balance the books following a tight Scottish budget settlement in February.

Meanwhile the health service faces rising inflation and increased demand.

Further pressure on funding is likely after the new coalition government at Westminster implements its emergency budget in June. The severe cuts expected in the deficit reduction plan will have inevitable knock-on effects in Scotland over the next few years.


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UNISON wins landmark equal pay ruling in Edinburgh

 Date: Thu 20 May 2010

Thousands of low paid council workers took a step closer to equal pay today thanks to a landmark decision of the Employment Appeal Tribunal.

While many manual workers, such as cleaners, cooks and carers, have already received compensation, previous decisions of the EAT removed the right to compensation from thousands of administrators, clerical workers, learning assistants and library staff.

In the absence of a proper explanation for the pay differences between women and men, local authorities developed a technical argument that women and men only deserved equal pay if they were based at the same premises, or had the same pay and conditions - this argument has now failed.

UNISON General Secretary, Dave Prentis, said:
“I am delighted that UNISON has opened up this route to justice for so many of our members. There is now no place for employers to run or hide.

“UNISON’s equal pay campaign has defeated every contrived defence their lawyers have hidden behind.
“This charade has gone on too long. We want full compensation for all our members and that money must be paid now.”

One of UNISON’s largest group of winners from the decision are classroom assistants, many of whom earn as little as £10,000 a year.

Elaine North, a UNISON claimant from Dumfries, said:
“I was devastated when the court said I wasn’t entitled to equal pay. My colleagues do one-to-one education work with learning-disabled kids and while we love them it is such hard work.

“No harm to refuse collectors and gardeners, but fair pay is long overdue for us. We’ve worked hard for this.”

Jackie Gilchrist, who chairs the UNISON campaign for Fair Pay, said:
“This is a magnificent decision for us. Our pay has been formally investigated by the EOC and still the employers refuse to recognise the value of our jobs.

“We have gathered so much evidence about the demands of learning support work, but the courts have refused to look at it until now. They’ve got some reading to catch up on, I can tell you.

“There’s only one conclusion to reach at the end – our wages are going up.”

UNISON estimates that this Edinburgh decision will affect up to 70,000 workers across the UK and, while claim values will vary from person to person, some will exceed £30,000

Ends

 Notes to editors:

1. With over 40,000 live claims UNISON is the UK’s leading provider of legal assistance on equal pay issues.

2. In the UNISON test case of Dumfries & Galloway Council v North & Others, the EAT in Scotland accepted the employer argument that equal pay claims could only succeed if women and men shared common terms and conditions, or were working at the same premises. Given the way that the work of women and men is segregated this was a major barrier to justice for tens of thousands of women.

3. UNISON is pursuing the same issue for 1,400 women in Edinburgh and, in the Edinburgh appeal decision, Lady Smith of Scotland’s Court of Session and the EAT took the highly unusual step or revisiting and reversing her previous decision.

4. The transcript can be downloaded or read in full at
http://www.employmentappeals.gov.uk/Public/Upload/
UKEATS000209BI(Revised)EDINCCvMsWilkinsonothersFINAL.doc


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Main healthcare union to quiz candidates and Cabinet Secretary

UNISON - Scotland's largest healthcare union, will hold its annual health conference today (Friday) in Glasgow, and will hear from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, Nicola Sturgeon MSP, who will give the keynote speech.

In addition the group conference, involving representatives of the 50,000+ UNISON members working in Scotland's Healthcare, will hold an election hustings, where candidates from the four main parties in Scotland will put forward their policies on healthcare, and other issues.

Chair of UNISON's Scottish Health Group, Tom Waterson said "We are taking the opportunity of this election, to promote our Public Works campaign, and quiz candidates on their party's policies to defend our public services and those who provide them, in the teeth of the business campaign to cut them.

"We know that our Health Service is vital, that its spending actually boosts our economy, and that we can afford to provide decent care."

Nicola Sturgeon MSP will also address the conference on the current issues facing Scotland's NHS, she will answer questions from the delegates UNISON is Scotland's largest Healthcare union and has continued to increase its membership for the third year running.

New Glasgow Clyde Health branch video

We've favourited this new video by NHS Greater Glasgow, Clyde & CVS Branch.



"This film was made to represent the work of UNISON NHS Glasgow Clyde & CVS branch in 2009. In was shown at our branch Annual General Meeting."

More videos at our YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/UNISONScotland



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UNISON rejects report on 'crude productivity' in NHS

Date: Wednesday 20 January 2010

 Health union UNISON Scotland has criticised a report published by the Nuffield Trust which claims that the NHS in Scotland is underperforming in comparison with England.

Glyn Hawker, UNISON Scottish Organiser said:
 "It sounds like this report has started from the wrong premise. It is precisely because Scotland has high levels of poor health, larger areas of health disadvantage and more challenging geography that spending is higher here.

"And to suggest that spending on the NHS is likely to tackle the root causes of ill-health is fanciful. As research and many reports have pointed out – ill-health inequalities will only be tackled by providing safe and healthy work, and well-funded public services that can guarantee decent lives for all – including housing and a safe environment. Fundamentally we need to address growing social and economic inequalities.

"We would also question what 'crude productivity for hospital doctors and nurses' means. If it is only to do with 'inpatient admissions' or waiting list reductions, then that would call into question the methodology behind this report. While they may increase numbers of sick people processed, they won’t necessarily tackle poor health."


ENDS

Click here to read further comments on Nuffield Trust report by John Gallacher, Secretary of UNISON Scotland Health Committee 


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Enjoy the office party, but don't attack paramedics

Friday 18 December 2009


UNISON, the UK's largest public sector union, is today (Friday 18th) appealing to the public to behave themselves after their office parties. The Friday before Christmas, the annual office party day, is dubbed "black" Friday by paramedics and ambulance workers, because they face an increase in drink-fuelled violence.

On this day, the number of 999 calls goes up along with violence, threats and abuse. This year, with heavy snow forecast, the day will be even more difficult for those emergency workers. The union wants people to enjoy their office parties, but says they should leave paramedics and ambulance crew to get on with their jobs in peace.

Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON, said: "The Friday before Christmas is the day that paramedics dread. It is shameful that ambulance crews, who are out 24/7 with the sole aim of saving lives and caring for the sick and injured, become the target of violence, intimidation and abuse. This year, with heavy snow forecast, the day will be even more difficult for those emergency workers.

"I am appealing to the public today and every day to leave ambulance workers to get on with their jobs in peace. If not, the next time you dial 999, our life saving paramedic maybe out of action."

In Scotland the operation of the Emergency Workers Act has given some support to hard-pressed ambulance crews - but David Forbes - UNISONScotland's Regional Organiser for the Ambulance Service says some people still need to change their attitude.

"Ambulance staff know that Scotland values them and the service they provide, but there are still a small minority who when they have too much to drink, seem to want to abuse and attack us, or think that ambulances are some kind of taxi service. All these people achieve is to damage the service for everyone else."



Ends


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Plinther praises public services during tribute to mother

Date: Fri 25 Sept 2009

A Scottish plinther will pay tribute to the public service that helped his dying mother during his hour on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square on Monday (28 September).

Kevin O’Neil, who works as an area organiser for UNISONScotland, will hold up speech bubbles featuring messages from the UK’s largest public sector union’s Million Voices campaign and its Scottish arm – Public Works - as part of Antony Gormley’s One & Other project.

The campaign is close to the 40-year-old’s heart, as the NHS helped his mother when she suffered a brain tumour.

Mr O’Neil, who started off working as a postman, has been working for the union for six years. He has also completed a number of sponsorship activities for various charities, including running and abseiling, to raise in excess of £17,000.

Mr O’Neil, who lives in Inverkeithing, Fife, said:
“I wanted to say something in memory of my mother, who died seven years ago of a brain tumour. The NHS is an amazing institution and gave her endless support. It is a shining example of how vital public services are, especially during a financial crisis, and I cannot praise the dedication of its staff enough and I know my mother felt the same.

“This is exactly the principles espoused by UNISON’s Public Works campaign and I am proud to be able to support this and add to our Million Voices from the plinth.

“I have always admired Anthony Gormley’s work and think it is fantastic that everyone can be involved in creating a piece of art. After watching the launch of One & Other on television I turned round to my wife and told her I needed to apply and I feel lucky to have been chosen.”

Ends

Notes for editors:

Kevin O’Neil will be appearing on the Plinth in Trafalgar Square, between 4pm and 5pm, on 28 September. UNISON members have been texting, tweeting and logging on to www.unison.org.uk to add their voice to the campaign and a selection of their messages will be read out by Kevin.

The union, which has more than 1.3 million members, is using the Million Voices campaign and Public Works – its Scottish arm, to call for social justice, good jobs and quality public services. The campaign was launched in the UK at UNISON’s Annual Conference and the Scottish launch was yesterday (Thursday 24). This will be taken to all the party conferences during this autumn – including the SNP conference in Inverness where Scottish Convenor, Mike Kirby will address a fringe meeting run jointly with APSE (the Association of Public Sector Excellence).

Kevin’s oneandother page is at http://www.oneandother.co.uk/participants/Inverkev;
the Public Works site is at www.unison-scotland.org.uk/publicworks/adayinthelife.pdf

See also www.unison-scotland.org.uk/comms/diary.html

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UNISON car parking campaign gains huge public support

Date: Thurs 24 Sept 2009

UNISON, Scotland’s healthcare union, today welcomed unprecedented support for their campaign on car parking charges, and urged MSPs to back a private member’s bill to ditch them.

The campaign calls on MSP’s to support Paul Martin as he attempts to introduce a bill in the Scottish Parliament which will tackle the charges which still exist in some hospital car parks and require NHS Boards to have managed car parking schemes.

The campaign has already generated over 2,000 emails and 5,000 postcards to MSPs.

UNISON Regional Organiser Matt McLaughlin said:
“UNISON is right behind this bill and so are our members and the general public. It is a scandal that NHS staff are being forced to park in back alleys and side streets putting themselves at risk of criminal harm through fear of incurring a charge for coming to work.”

UNISON emailed 9,000 members asking them to email their MSP and to date 2,000 emails have been generated via the unions web link. However, some MSPs are refusing to back the bill meaning it is at risk of falling.

UNISON is reacting angrily to the response received by some members.

Matt said:
“Not surprisingly Tory MSPs have refused to support NHS workers. But it is also obvious from the responses from SNP MSPs that they are merely toeing a central party line, and refusing to back staff and patients on this issue. This do-nothing approach from the SNP will be a surprise to many people – after all their party was very vocal in the opposition to parking charges when they were in opposition.”

And Matt called on MSPs from other parties to back Paul Martin’s bill:
“With over 5,000 signatures gathered in less than 3 weeks on this issue it is clear that staff and public are not convinced the current measurers are working and think further action is required. UNISON calls on all the major parties not to let them down and to back this bill, ensuring that staff and patients get a fair deal from their NHS.”

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Tories' privatisation agenda out of touch: UNISON

Tuesday 11 August 2009

Publicly funded hospitals and schools are still vote clinchers, and the Tories' privatisation agenda is out of touch with voters, according to a survey conducted for UNISON.

Despite worries about the economy, how the Government runs our hospitals is still at the top of people’s lists in deciding how to vote at the next general election. The results of the survey show the Tories latest plans for the public services are out of touch with public opinion. Their so-called “reform” of public services is nothing but thinly-disguised “privatisation”.

In an Ipsos MORI survey conducted for UNISON, 96% say the NHS will be an important factor in deciding how they vote at the next general election. This compares to the economy (important for 93%), crime (92%), public services (85%), schools (85%) and Britain’s relationship with Europe (70%).

The NHS is highly prized by the public with 76% believing it is crucial to British society and “we must do everything to maintain it”. Only 22% think that it “was a great project, but we probably can’t maintain it in its current form”.

Three-quarters of the public (75%) believe the NHS should be “run by the public sector to encourage a joined-up service”, with little support (21%) for it to be “run by the private sector to encourage competition” 78% believe that the health service should be run by the Government and public organisations, rather than by private companies and 73% agreed that people who provide health services should be employed by the NHS rather than by private companies.

UNISON General Secretary, Dave Prentis, said: “Although the economy is clearly a worry for many people, this polling shows the massive support that our NHS and public services have amongst the public. They don’t want them privatised, there is no appetite for competition in the services nor for profit-chasing. People have shown what we have always argued that most want good local schools and hospitals provide by dedicated public servants.

“The Tories are completely out of kilter with public opinion. Shadow Chancellor Osborne’s claims to have “progressive” ideas are nothing but cheap window-dressing.

“The Government should take note. If it is to have any chance of re-election next year, it must listen to what the people want.”

Ipsos MORI interviewed a sample of 1,001 British adults, plus a booster of 251 public sector workers, all age 18 and over by telephone between 12-14 June 2009. Data are weighted to the profile of the adult population 18+, and include a weight for public vs. private sector workers. The final weighted data indicate that 17% belong to a trade union.

The survey found that public sector workers have similar views to the general population.

Factors which will be important for public sector workers in deciding how to vote in the next general election are: the NHS (important for 96%); the economy (95%); crime (92%); public services (90%); schools (90%); Britain’s relationship with Europe (73%). 77% believe the NHS is crucial to British society; 81% believe it should be run by the public sector to encourage a joined-up service; 86% think that the NHS should be run by the Government not private companies and 79% agree that people providing health services should be employed by the NHS rather than by private companies.

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UNISON welcomes government acceptance of union concerns on community nursing

UNISON, the union for nursing staff in the community, today welcomed the government’s decision not to proceed with the project started in 2006 to develop a new post of ‘Community Health Nurse’ which would absorb the jobs of District Nurse, Health Visitor, Public Health Nurse, Family Health Nurse and School Nurse

After prolonged and sustained opposition by UNISON to the threatened generic community nurse over the last three years, Cabinet Secretary, Nicola Sturgeon MSP has now agreed that it is not the way forward.

In a letter to the unions today, Ms Sturgeon confirmed, that she wishes to retain and reinforce the contribution made by existing community-based nurses in the future.

The changes to the community based roles were heralded in the Review of Nursing in the Community at the end of 2006 by the then Chief Nurse for Scotland and have been being trialled in development projects in NHS Borders, Tayside, Lothian and Highland health Board Areas until 2008. From April 2008 the changes began to be implemented, but were then reduced back to pilot projects in the original four areas.

UNISON members and members of other unions were consistently concerned that the dilution of specific skills into a generic ‘Community Health Nurse’ endangered the quality of care given to Scottish people in their own homes and jeopardised the high standard of care offered by health visitors and school nurses in health promotion and child protection.

Bridget Hunter, UNISONScotland’s Lead Officer for Nursing, said:

‘This is a major triumph for our members in community nursing. After almost three years of resistance our concerns have been eventually accepted as valid. Generic community nursing was from day one, deeply unpopular with staff who genuinely believed that it diluted specialist jobs and reduced the service the community was likely to receive. It was seen as aiming low to avoid disappointment, rather than aiming high in our endeavour to achieve excellence, and enhance skills.’

UNISON will now continue discussions with the government and the NHS to modernise community nursing services within a team setting.

Ends

Note for Editors:
A briefing from UNISON on the detailed concerns of nursing staffs on the ‘Community Health Nurse’ proposals can be found on the UNISONScotland website at www.unison-scotland.org.uk/healthcare/nursing/index.html

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UNISON calls for action following public sector agency pay report

Date: Mon 22 June 2009


UNISON Scotland has strongly welcomed proposals by the Scottish Parliament Finance Committee to tackle unfairness, delay and low pay in the wage bargaining system for public sector agency staff.

UNISON - the largest public sector union - is calling on Cabinet Secretary John Swinney to engage directly with unions and employers to implement the recommendations of the Finance Committee's Report on Public Sector Pay.

Dave Watson, Scottish Organiser for UNISON, said:
"We welcome the recommendations from this report, and strongly urge the Scottish Government to act on them as soon as possible. The committee has clearly listened to the evidence led by UNISON and others about the delays, bureaucracy and complexities that bedevil the current system for paying public sector agency staff."

The Report on Public Sector Pay by the Scottish Parliament's Finance Committee published today includes recommmendations to: ensure that low pay is addressed properly; review pay systems and the costs of addressing discrimination; and review controversial senior staff bonuses.

The Finance Committee states that the process used to determine pay for workers in public sector agencies has "further room for improvement". The report is critical of delays in wage awards, and stresses the need for formal bargaining machinery, relevant benchmarks, and local flexibility.

Dave Watson said:
"It is clearly also unfair that the senior agency staff - like those running the Government's new Scottish Futures Trust - can attract huge salaries and substantial bonuses, even topping the chief executives of our largest councils, while lower-paid staff experience substantial delays to get less than the rate of inflation, with little or no opportunity for negotiation or flexibility."


ends


Notes for Editors:

1. UNISON is Scotland’s largest public sector trade union representing 165,000 members across public services. UNISON members work to deliver vital services not just in Scotland’s NHS and local government, but in a significant number of Non Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) such as Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA); Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA); Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care (SCRC); Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park (LLTNPA); and Careers Scotland/Skills Development Scotland.

2. The UNISON Scotland submission on Public Sector Pay to the Scottish Parliament Finance Committee in December 2008 can be found on our website http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/response/publicsectorpay08.html

3. The Report on Public Sector Pay by the Scottish Parliament's Finance Committee can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/committees/finance/reports-09/fir09-04.htm


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International Development Secretary to launch World Justice Festival

Douglas Alexander MP, the International Development Secretary, is to open Edinburgh’s fourth World Justice Festival (EWJF) next week.

Mr Alexander will speak about the UK Government’s development response to global economic and environmental crisis at the ‘Building Justice out of Crisis’ conference in the City Chambers.
His speech, on Friday May 22, will focus on what steps are needed to create a new regime to deliver justice and sustainability for the world’s population.

The unique Edinburgh World Justice Festival (EWJF) was inspired by the massive Make Poverty History demonstration and the G8 alternative conference, held in Edinburgh in early July 2005.

EWJF organisers include UNISON Scotland, Edinburgh Campaign Against the Arms Trade, Friends of the Earth, Medecins Sans Frontieres, Stop Climate Chaos Scotland and the World Development Movement.

Mr Alexander said:
“Millions of people in Britain campaigned four years ago to make poverty history, but millions worldwide face a future of poverty if the world fails to tackle climate change. We have to move to a low-carbon future if we’re going to create a better life for all - here and around the world.

“I am delighted to take part in this important event and congratulate the many organisations which have put together an impressive programme.”


ENDS

For further information please contact:
Chris Bartter (Communications Officer) 07715 583 729(m)
Sara Thoms (Department For International Development Press Office) 0207 023 0849 (w) 07932 954867 (m)


Notes for Editors

1. Other speakers at the Building Justice Out of Crisis event include: Allyson Pollock, Centre for International Public Health Policy, Edinburgh University; Iain Macwhirter, Sunday Herald journalist and Rector of Edinburgh University; Benedict Southworth, World Development Movement. Mike Kirby, Convener of UNISON Scotland, will be in the chair.

2. The event takes place at Edinburgh City Chambers from 12.30pm -3.30pm. Douglas Alexander is due to speak at 12.35pm, with a question session at 1pm.

3. Other EWJF highlights include: a European Election hustings, a film by Dalkeith High School pupils on the injustice of climate change; a discussion on Mordechai Vanunu, human rights, arms sales and nuclear disarmament; and a debate on what is needed from the UN Climate Change talks in Copenhagen.

4. The full programme is at http://www.ewjf.org.uk/.

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Hartley decision - UNISON reaction

Date: Friday 3 April 2009


Commenting on the Tribunal's ruling on Agenda for Change, Mike Jackson, UNISON's Senior National Officer for Health, said:

"The old NHS pay system was unfair. It took years of negotiation and a lot of commitment from our members to implement the new system.

"The Tribunal has now agreed that it does what it set out to do deliver - equal pay. "It is a fairer and more transparent pay system."


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PFI car parking contractors in line for £170,000 windfall - UNISON

Date: 6 March 2009

The parking contractors that run the car parking at Edinburgh’s Royal Infirmary, are set to make around an extra £170,000 profit because of government actions to tackle the credit crunch, according to Scotland’s healthcare union, UNISON today.



Speaking at the Scottish Labour Party Conference in Dundee this morning, UNISON delegate, Morag Houston said:

“Our Lothian Health Branch has just found out that the private contractors who run the car parking at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary are cashing it in on the back of the government’s decision to reduce VAT by 2.5% this year. Because this has not been included in the contractual details – either with the parking sub-contractors Meteor, or with the main contractor, Consort – they are charging £70,000 to recalibrate their parking machines to take off that 2.5%, and will charge a further £70K to change them back when the VAT reverts to 17.5%! And that is after they have already made an extra £29,000 because they haven’t already changed the machines to reduce the extra 2.5%.”

UNISON, was backing a motion giving support to the private member’s bill proposed by Paul Martin MSP, which, if successful, would make charging for car parking illegal throughout Scotland’s NHS, including in PFI funded facilities.

Tam Waterson, Chair of UNISON’s Lothian Health Branch said:

“It is exactly this kind of contractual inflexibility and profiteering at the expense of our NHS, which UNISON has campaigned against from the first days of PFI. We need to get behind Paul Martin’s bill to deal with the scandal of car parking charges imposed on those who are sick, their families and friends and the staff who care for them, but more than that – we need to continue to fight to get rid of this expensive, inflexible and inefficient way of funding our vital public works – whether it is called, PFI, PPP or SFT.”

The motion was passed.

ENDS

Note for editors:
You can see video footage of Paul Martin MSP launching his bill in January with the support of UNISON members at http://www.youtube.com/user/UNISONScotland.


For Further Information Please Contact:
Malcolm Burns (Information Dev Officer) 07876 566 978(m)
Chris Bartter (Communications Officer) 0771 558 3729(m)
Morag Houston (UNISON Delegate – LP Conference)- please contact Chris Bartter
Tom Waterston (UNISON Lothian Health Branch Chair) 07753 627 575(m)

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