Date: 4 March 2009
UNISON – Scotland’s housing union – today urged the Scottish Government to allow councils to bid for housing grant on an equal basis with Registered Social Landlords (RSL) in order to increase the amount of affordable housing in Scotland and create a more stable housing market. The union, which has over 10,000 members in Scotland’s housing services, has released a briefing to all its branches in Scotland calling for extended protection for mortgages, a moratorium on repossessions, and to develop new types of housing associations that don’t rely on subsidies from house sales.
Dave Watson, UNISON’s Scottish Organiser said: “The main problem for Scotland’s housing is a lack of affordable houses for rent. We welcomed the increased funding for new housing released in 2007, but it must be realised that this only led to a start in new council housing (432 homes started in 2007).
“We need to re-balance Scotland’s housing so that there are more and better affordable options, and we don’t rely on home ownership as the only game in town. To do this we need to ensure that there is a level playing field - making funding available for council house building on the same basis as other RSL’s, so they can add to the affordable housing options available to people.”
UNISON is also concerned that the increase in repossessions and defaults on mortgages in the owned sector will need further government action. The union is looking for a short-term moratorium on repossessions like that suggested by Barak Obama, and for the government to extend the Mortgage Rescue Package.
Dave Watson said: “Our members are no different from the population as a whole. They are threatened with job losses, mortgage defaults and repossessions. If predictions are correct they could lead to one family having their home repossessed every seven minutes next year. Both the UK and Scottish Governments need to raise their game to provide further protection urgently.”
ENDS
For Further Information Please Contact:
Dave Watson (Scottish Organiser) 07958 122 409(m)
Chris Bartter (Communications Officer) 0771 558 3729(m)
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Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
STV coverage of social worker role was excellent
Colleagues may have already seen tonights STV news where SWIG colleagues were interviewed following the Brandon Muir murder trial.
You can find the news piece here and follow other links to interviews
http://news.stv.tv/home/80041-man-found-guilty-of-culpable-homicide-of-dundee-toddler/
A further interview was done by ITN and will be broadcast on tonights 10pm news, we are advised.
http://www.itv.com/News/Ten/default.html
The STV coverage was excellent and we are hopeful that ITN will be as balanced in terms of the role of the social worker.
Regards,
Mandy McDowall
Regional Organiser, UNISON
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You can find the news piece here and follow other links to interviews
http://news.stv.tv/home/80041-man-found-guilty-of-culpable-homicide-of-dundee-toddler/
A further interview was done by ITN and will be broadcast on tonights 10pm news, we are advised.
http://www.itv.com/News/Ten/default.html
The STV coverage was excellent and we are hopeful that ITN will be as balanced in terms of the role of the social worker.
Regards,
Mandy McDowall
Regional Organiser, UNISON
.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Enable staff in pay action ballot
Date: Friday 27 February 2009
UNISON members working for Enable, the charity that works with people with learning disabilities, are to be balloted on strike action over pay, their union UNISON today.
The ballot follows a 2 to 1 rejection of the employer’s offer of a £300 rise for the lowest paid, plus a £100 non-consolidated payment; 2% for the second lowest grade of staff with £50 non consolidated payment and only 1.5% for the remaining staff. Staff in Enable were due a pay rise from 1st October 2008, when inflation was running at 5%.
Last year UNISON lodged a claim for an increase of 5% or £1000 whichever is the greater, an extra day’s holiday and an end to a system that pays people differently for doing the same job. In December 2008 Enable finally made their offer.
Simon Macfarlane, Regional Organiser said:
"Our members are sick of receiving below inflation pay settlements from Enable and have clearly voted to reject this poor offer. These staff cannot continue to subsidise vital care and support to some of the most vulnerable in our community by poverty wages.
"This offer is simply unacceptable. It is clear from its overwhelming rejection that there is a level of anger and frustration amongst our members, even at a time of economic uncertainty. We are recommending they vote ‘Yes’ in this ballot. Our members don’t want to take action that will impact on people with learning disabilities, but they will if Enable force them in to it. Enable must get back round the table and make a more serious offer."
The union says there are other issues at stake too. Members are annoyed that if you look after someone in Glasgow you get paid £6.67 an hour but if you look after someone in Bearsden you get paid £7.24, and urges an end to this geographical discrimination.
Simon MacFarlane said:
"UNISON knows the funding pressures there are on the voluntary sector, and we are calling on employers to join with us when we lobby the Scottish Parliament for fair funding for the sector on 17th March."
Ends
For Further Information Please Contact:
Simon Macfarlane (Regional Organiser) 0870 7777 006 (w) 07703 194 132 (m)
Chris Bartter (Communications Officer) 0870 7777 006(w) 0771 558 3729(m)
.
UNISON members working for Enable, the charity that works with people with learning disabilities, are to be balloted on strike action over pay, their union UNISON today.
The ballot follows a 2 to 1 rejection of the employer’s offer of a £300 rise for the lowest paid, plus a £100 non-consolidated payment; 2% for the second lowest grade of staff with £50 non consolidated payment and only 1.5% for the remaining staff. Staff in Enable were due a pay rise from 1st October 2008, when inflation was running at 5%.
Last year UNISON lodged a claim for an increase of 5% or £1000 whichever is the greater, an extra day’s holiday and an end to a system that pays people differently for doing the same job. In December 2008 Enable finally made their offer.
Simon Macfarlane, Regional Organiser said:
"Our members are sick of receiving below inflation pay settlements from Enable and have clearly voted to reject this poor offer. These staff cannot continue to subsidise vital care and support to some of the most vulnerable in our community by poverty wages.
"This offer is simply unacceptable. It is clear from its overwhelming rejection that there is a level of anger and frustration amongst our members, even at a time of economic uncertainty. We are recommending they vote ‘Yes’ in this ballot. Our members don’t want to take action that will impact on people with learning disabilities, but they will if Enable force them in to it. Enable must get back round the table and make a more serious offer."
The union says there are other issues at stake too. Members are annoyed that if you look after someone in Glasgow you get paid £6.67 an hour but if you look after someone in Bearsden you get paid £7.24, and urges an end to this geographical discrimination.
Simon MacFarlane said:
"UNISON knows the funding pressures there are on the voluntary sector, and we are calling on employers to join with us when we lobby the Scottish Parliament for fair funding for the sector on 17th March."
Ends
For Further Information Please Contact:
Simon Macfarlane (Regional Organiser) 0870 7777 006 (w) 07703 194 132 (m)
Chris Bartter (Communications Officer) 0870 7777 006(w) 0771 558 3729(m)
.
Real pension divide is between bosses and staff - UNISON
Date: Friday 27 February 2009
In the wake of the news that Fred Goodwin has already started drawing a pension of £650k per year, UNISON - Scotland's public service union - says that this highlights the real pensions divide in the UK economy.
A briefing by the union issued today (27 February), summarises information from the Pensions Policy Institute, the National Association for Pensions Funds and the TUC to point out that the majority of company directors can retire at 60, with a final salary pension 25 times higher than the national average which they accrue twice as fast as both their workforce and the public sector workforce.
Dave Watson, UNISON's Scottish Organiser, said:
"This information from independent sources, shows that those with the real gold-plated pensions are private sector directors. The very people who are leading the clamour to attack the pensions of low-paid, hard working public service staff. Fred Goodwin's pension is simply one example - the top directors in FTSE 100 companies averaged a pension of £333,664 p.a. in 2008 - and this figure has gone up by 4% since the previous year."
In addition - despite the manipulated statistics put out by organisations like the Taxpayers Alliance - public sector workers tend to pay more into their pension than private sector staff, and accrue their pension at the same rate as staff in the private sector. However the pension for new entrants to public sector pensions is only similar to a medium private sector final salary scheme.
Dave Watson said:
"The Taxpayers Alliance, and other private sector-sponsored campaign groups again spit their vitriol against public service workers. For example, local government workers like classroom assistants, home carers, social workers, refuse collectors, and dinner ladies, contribute all their working lives to gain a pension that averages just £3,800 pa, yet the Taxpayer's Alliance, would apparently prefer them to have that pension cut and force them to rely on state benefits."
"They would be better employed directing their firepower at the real gold-plated pensioners. Big business bosses who award themselves generous pensions while closing decent schemes for their staff. But they won't of course, because this would be biting the hand that feeds them."
ENDS
Note for editors:
The briefing from UNISONScotland is available from either contact below, or on the Scottish website - http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/briefings/198pensionsupdate.pdf
For Further Information Please Contact:
Dave Watson (Scottish Organiser) 07958 122 409(m)
Chris Bartter (Communications Officer) 0771 558 3729(m)
.
In the wake of the news that Fred Goodwin has already started drawing a pension of £650k per year, UNISON - Scotland's public service union - says that this highlights the real pensions divide in the UK economy.
A briefing by the union issued today (27 February), summarises information from the Pensions Policy Institute, the National Association for Pensions Funds and the TUC to point out that the majority of company directors can retire at 60, with a final salary pension 25 times higher than the national average which they accrue twice as fast as both their workforce and the public sector workforce.
Dave Watson, UNISON's Scottish Organiser, said:
"This information from independent sources, shows that those with the real gold-plated pensions are private sector directors. The very people who are leading the clamour to attack the pensions of low-paid, hard working public service staff. Fred Goodwin's pension is simply one example - the top directors in FTSE 100 companies averaged a pension of £333,664 p.a. in 2008 - and this figure has gone up by 4% since the previous year."
In addition - despite the manipulated statistics put out by organisations like the Taxpayers Alliance - public sector workers tend to pay more into their pension than private sector staff, and accrue their pension at the same rate as staff in the private sector. However the pension for new entrants to public sector pensions is only similar to a medium private sector final salary scheme.
Dave Watson said:
"The Taxpayers Alliance, and other private sector-sponsored campaign groups again spit their vitriol against public service workers. For example, local government workers like classroom assistants, home carers, social workers, refuse collectors, and dinner ladies, contribute all their working lives to gain a pension that averages just £3,800 pa, yet the Taxpayer's Alliance, would apparently prefer them to have that pension cut and force them to rely on state benefits."
"They would be better employed directing their firepower at the real gold-plated pensioners. Big business bosses who award themselves generous pensions while closing decent schemes for their staff. But they won't of course, because this would be biting the hand that feeds them."
ENDS
Note for editors:
The briefing from UNISONScotland is available from either contact below, or on the Scottish website - http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/briefings/198pensionsupdate.pdf
For Further Information Please Contact:
Dave Watson (Scottish Organiser) 07958 122 409(m)
Chris Bartter (Communications Officer) 0771 558 3729(m)
.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Accounts Commission misses the point on local government
Thursday 26 February 2009
UNISON – the union representing staff delivering local services - has slammed today’s Accounts Commission annual overview report on local government, as piecemeal and inaccurate.
Matt Smith, UNISON’s Scottish Secretary, said:
“Unfortunately the Accounts Commission’s report skips over the significant cost implications of local councils complying with the law and delivering equal pay which could run into millions of pounds; mistakenly advocates the use of shared service to achieve ‘urgent savings’ when all the evidence shows that shared services based on cost savings don’t work*; advocates an increased concentration on the failed mantra of ‘competitive’ services; and recommends increasing the bureaucracy to collect more accounts information rather than addressing the increased need for public services in a recession.”
The union also points to the irony that an earlier report by the Accounts Commission slated the public services for unplanned and unmonitored overuse of consultants, whereas this one advocates concentration on shared services – where consultants are increasingly used as a prop to make the case.
Matt Smith said:
“We have tried to get information from both central government and the local government Improvement Service on the use of consultants. Both have refused our Freedom of Information requests – central government because they didn’t keep a record of the work companies do, and the Improvement Service because they were not covered by the FOI(S) Act. We do know that consultants are strongly involved in promoting shared services, including some prominent failures, and wonder that this contradiction hasn’t occurred to the Accounts Commission.”
“It is a pity that at a time when local councils face significant challenges from the current economic crisis and underfunding from central government, they are not being better served by the body set up to overview their performance. The Accounts Commission can surely do better than advocating local government being sidetracked into expensive reorganisation of services, risking increased waste of money on failed shared service development, and ignoring a huge cost implication for local government.”
ENDS
Note for editors:
*As an example of the problems with Shared Services, the shared IT services project between the Department for Transport and its seven agencies was supposed to be up and running last year and save £57m. By this year only two agencies and the DfT were using it and the costs have risen by £81m.
.
UNISON – the union representing staff delivering local services - has slammed today’s Accounts Commission annual overview report on local government, as piecemeal and inaccurate.
Matt Smith, UNISON’s Scottish Secretary, said:
“Unfortunately the Accounts Commission’s report skips over the significant cost implications of local councils complying with the law and delivering equal pay which could run into millions of pounds; mistakenly advocates the use of shared service to achieve ‘urgent savings’ when all the evidence shows that shared services based on cost savings don’t work*; advocates an increased concentration on the failed mantra of ‘competitive’ services; and recommends increasing the bureaucracy to collect more accounts information rather than addressing the increased need for public services in a recession.”
The union also points to the irony that an earlier report by the Accounts Commission slated the public services for unplanned and unmonitored overuse of consultants, whereas this one advocates concentration on shared services – where consultants are increasingly used as a prop to make the case.
Matt Smith said:
“We have tried to get information from both central government and the local government Improvement Service on the use of consultants. Both have refused our Freedom of Information requests – central government because they didn’t keep a record of the work companies do, and the Improvement Service because they were not covered by the FOI(S) Act. We do know that consultants are strongly involved in promoting shared services, including some prominent failures, and wonder that this contradiction hasn’t occurred to the Accounts Commission.”
“It is a pity that at a time when local councils face significant challenges from the current economic crisis and underfunding from central government, they are not being better served by the body set up to overview their performance. The Accounts Commission can surely do better than advocating local government being sidetracked into expensive reorganisation of services, risking increased waste of money on failed shared service development, and ignoring a huge cost implication for local government.”
ENDS
Note for editors:
*As an example of the problems with Shared Services, the shared IT services project between the Department for Transport and its seven agencies was supposed to be up and running last year and save £57m. By this year only two agencies and the DfT were using it and the costs have risen by £81m.
.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
50 frontline jobs at risk in Stirling as budget overspend looms
Date: Wednesday 18 February 2009
Plans to close residential homes in Stirling as a result of a budget overspend could result in the loss of 50 frontline jobs, the council's UNISON branch has warned.
At a meeting with Stirling Council management on the 22nd January 2009 UNISON were issued with an HR1 possible compulsory redundancy notice for 170 jobs. After UNISON challenged the redundancies the SNP council leader, Graham Houston, made the following statement:
“There will be no cuts to frontline services but making savings on this scale does mean a reduction in the number of posts by simplifying, streamlining and standardising management structures.”
The Depute council leader, SNP councillor Scott Farmer, challenged UNISON’s position by stating that the SNP administration is committed to frontline services and these changes will enable us to deliver more effective and efficient services.
James Douglas, UNISON Stirling Branch Secretary, said:
“If this is the case, why are the council proposing to close both Wellgreen and Beech Residential Homes which could make 50 frontline care staff redundant.
A decision will be taken on Thursday, 19th February, 2009, at the Council’s budget meeting with little or no consideration given to residents, their families or the staff affected. I would ask that the general public assist UNISON in protecting public services by contacting their local councillor, MSP and MP in supporting care for the elderly members of our community.”
.
Plans to close residential homes in Stirling as a result of a budget overspend could result in the loss of 50 frontline jobs, the council's UNISON branch has warned.
At a meeting with Stirling Council management on the 22nd January 2009 UNISON were issued with an HR1 possible compulsory redundancy notice for 170 jobs. After UNISON challenged the redundancies the SNP council leader, Graham Houston, made the following statement:
“There will be no cuts to frontline services but making savings on this scale does mean a reduction in the number of posts by simplifying, streamlining and standardising management structures.”
The Depute council leader, SNP councillor Scott Farmer, challenged UNISON’s position by stating that the SNP administration is committed to frontline services and these changes will enable us to deliver more effective and efficient services.
James Douglas, UNISON Stirling Branch Secretary, said:
“If this is the case, why are the council proposing to close both Wellgreen and Beech Residential Homes which could make 50 frontline care staff redundant.
A decision will be taken on Thursday, 19th February, 2009, at the Council’s budget meeting with little or no consideration given to residents, their families or the staff affected. I would ask that the general public assist UNISON in protecting public services by contacting their local councillor, MSP and MP in supporting care for the elderly members of our community.”
.
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