COSLA today imposed a revised three year pay deal on Scottish local government workers. The employers withdrew their earlier offer and imposed one made up of 0.65% this year and a pay freeze for the next two years. See BBC report www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-11113306
UNISON today reacted angrily to COSLA’s decision to impose a three year pay deal, calling it a kick in the teeth to local government workers.
Stephanie Herd, Chair of UNISON’s Scottish Local Government Committee, said: “COSLA has misrepresented the unions’ negotiating position and has said they value employees, while kicking them in the teeth today.
“Imposing a deal is not the way to do pay bargaining and is totally unfair to hard working local government workers across Scotland.
“UNISON has made the case that there is an alternative to the cuts agenda, an alternative that delivers the quality services Scotland needs, with decent pay and conditions for staff.”
Dougie Black, UNISON trade union side secretary and lead negotiator, said: “All three trade unions jointly sought talks with COSLA and these took place yesterday.
“Our position was that we wanted to look at re-shaping the offer and we were not asking for more money. We simply wanted to talk about re-shaping their offer.
“COSLA had budgeted for 1% this year but have chosen to impose a lower figure than the Tory/Liberal Democrat coalition are prepared to pay public sector workers south of the border.
“It is contemptible that they say they value public service workers. They can’t possibly when they are reducing wages, taking an offer off the table and imposing something worth less.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
Three unions make up the trade union side of the Scottish Joint Council: UNISON, Unite and GMB.
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Friday, August 27, 2010
UNISON – Police staff cuts 'great news for criminals'
Date: Fri 27 August 2010
UNISON has called for a halt to the proposed job cuts among police staff. The union said that the proposals made by various police forces were "great news for criminals" and that if implemented the sackings would make Scotland less safe.
UNISON has already sought a joint approach to the Scottish government with Strathclyde Police to address the threat to jobs and service levels. The union is widening the approach as the scale of job and service cuts now being proposed across other Scottish police forces becomes clearer.
UNISON organises police staff in forces across Scotland and was reacting to announcements by three forces to cut both police staff and police officers.
A UNISON spokesperson said:
"This is great news for criminals across Scotland as police are taken off the beat to do jobs more usefully, and cost effectively, done by police staff.
"These proposals are turning the clock back thirty years and will wipe out all of the efficiencies and advances we’ve made since then. We now have specialised, trained and dedicated staff whose employment means police officers can be released for frontline duties.
"This is not even a saving - it will actually cost more and take officers away from the frontline where the public rightly expect them to be.
"No one can pretend that Scotland will be a safer place if these cuts are implemented. As they stand these proposals are little more than a charter for criminals."
ends
Note for Editors:
Police staff are a vital part of modern effective policing. Scotland has made progress in "police civilianisation" in recent years but still has some way to go to catch up with the situation in England and Wales. UNISON Scotland's Briefing 209 on Police Civilianisation in Scotland (May 2009) states: "Police staffs comprise 28% of all police personnel in Scotland. In comparison, the figure for England & Wales is 32% (excluding Police Community Support Officers)". The Briefing also reports on studies showing the benefits of civilianisation: "Workforce modernisation studies in England & Wales demonstrate that further civilianisation allied to a reconfiguration of police personnel is associated with a wide range of performance, economic, stakeholder and community benefits for police forces."
UNISON Scotland's Briefing 209 on Police Civilianisation in Scotland (May 2009) is available on the UNISON Scotland website at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/briefings/209policecivilianisation.pdf
.
UNISON has called for a halt to the proposed job cuts among police staff. The union said that the proposals made by various police forces were "great news for criminals" and that if implemented the sackings would make Scotland less safe.
UNISON has already sought a joint approach to the Scottish government with Strathclyde Police to address the threat to jobs and service levels. The union is widening the approach as the scale of job and service cuts now being proposed across other Scottish police forces becomes clearer.
UNISON organises police staff in forces across Scotland and was reacting to announcements by three forces to cut both police staff and police officers.
A UNISON spokesperson said:
"This is great news for criminals across Scotland as police are taken off the beat to do jobs more usefully, and cost effectively, done by police staff.
"These proposals are turning the clock back thirty years and will wipe out all of the efficiencies and advances we’ve made since then. We now have specialised, trained and dedicated staff whose employment means police officers can be released for frontline duties.
"This is not even a saving - it will actually cost more and take officers away from the frontline where the public rightly expect them to be.
"No one can pretend that Scotland will be a safer place if these cuts are implemented. As they stand these proposals are little more than a charter for criminals."
ends
Note for Editors:
Police staff are a vital part of modern effective policing. Scotland has made progress in "police civilianisation" in recent years but still has some way to go to catch up with the situation in England and Wales. UNISON Scotland's Briefing 209 on Police Civilianisation in Scotland (May 2009) states: "Police staffs comprise 28% of all police personnel in Scotland. In comparison, the figure for England & Wales is 32% (excluding Police Community Support Officers)". The Briefing also reports on studies showing the benefits of civilianisation: "Workforce modernisation studies in England & Wales demonstrate that further civilianisation allied to a reconfiguration of police personnel is associated with a wide range of performance, economic, stakeholder and community benefits for police forces."
UNISON Scotland's Briefing 209 on Police Civilianisation in Scotland (May 2009) is available on the UNISON Scotland website at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/briefings/209policecivilianisation.pdf
.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Strathclyde Police staff under threat: UNISON's Gerry Crawley on BBC Scotland website
In response to Strathclyde Police proposals to cut jobs UNISON Scotland Regional Organiser Gerry Crawley commented to BBC Scotland as follows:
Unison branch officer Gerry Crawley said that if Strathclyde Police did not achieve its savings targets up to 800 civilian posts could go in addition to 400 police posts.
"Our big fear is that there is going to be compulsory redundancies," he said.
"The only decision that the police authority took today was to effectively cut the voluntary redundancy package on offer to staff.
"Although the cash offer is still unaffected the pension terms have been reduced. How do they expect to achieve 600 voluntary redundancies this way?"
Strike threat
Mr Crawley said Unison had agreed to make a joint approach, with Strathclyde Chief Constable Stephen House, to the Scottish government over the cash crisis facing the force.
He said the scale of the cuts being implemented meant that industrial action "could not be ruled out" and pledged to "fight for every job" under threat.
The scale of the projected budget shortfall facing Strathclyde Police is likely to become clearer after the Scottish government's spending review in October.
The voluntary redundancy package on offer to staff will run until the end of October.
Once the uptake is known, with the likely projected budget shortfall, the force will have to decide whether to pursue voluntary redundancy of support staff.
If any industrial action is called in response to such a decision it is likely to be next year.
(see Strathclyde Police to cut 600 civilian staff 26 August 2010 Last updated at 17:01 on BBC Scotland News website for full story)
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Unison branch officer Gerry Crawley said that if Strathclyde Police did not achieve its savings targets up to 800 civilian posts could go in addition to 400 police posts.
"Our big fear is that there is going to be compulsory redundancies," he said.
"The only decision that the police authority took today was to effectively cut the voluntary redundancy package on offer to staff.
"Although the cash offer is still unaffected the pension terms have been reduced. How do they expect to achieve 600 voluntary redundancies this way?"
Strike threat
Mr Crawley said Unison had agreed to make a joint approach, with Strathclyde Chief Constable Stephen House, to the Scottish government over the cash crisis facing the force.
He said the scale of the cuts being implemented meant that industrial action "could not be ruled out" and pledged to "fight for every job" under threat.
The scale of the projected budget shortfall facing Strathclyde Police is likely to become clearer after the Scottish government's spending review in October.
The voluntary redundancy package on offer to staff will run until the end of October.
Once the uptake is known, with the likely projected budget shortfall, the force will have to decide whether to pursue voluntary redundancy of support staff.
If any industrial action is called in response to such a decision it is likely to be next year.
(see Strathclyde Police to cut 600 civilian staff 26 August 2010 Last updated at 17:01 on BBC Scotland News website for full story)
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Wednesday, August 25, 2010
IFS Budget Report - UNISON steps up campaign against cuts
25 August 2010
UNISON, the UK’s leading public sector trade union, today vowed to step up its campaign to protect vital public services against Government cuts, in the wake of the latest research* highlighting the deeply regressive nature of the Government’s budget that is hitting the poorest hardest.
Following the budget, the union accused the Government of declaring war on public services and public service workers calling it “the most draconian budget in decades”, and called for fairer taxation, a transaction tax on banks and action against tax havens and dodgers.
Dave Prentis, UNISON General Secretary, said:
“There is no compassion in this coalition. The Chancellor’s claims that his budget was fair and progressive have been blown out of the water. Well he didn’t fool us then and he’s not fooling anyone now. That is why UNISON is stepping up its campaign to protect the vital public services that the vulnerable and needy rely on most, ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review.
“The Tories always revert to type. They are still the party that clobbers those on the lowest incomes, whilst helping the rich to get richer. It is a disgrace that children from low-income families are the ones paying the price for this bankers’ recession.
“UNISON has long been warning that the Tories plans would hit the poor hardest. Many families are already struggling to cope with the fall out from the recession, and things will only get worse.
“The Comprehensive Spending Review will pile more misery onto families, with more local communities set to lose vital services. The cost of everyday essentials such as fuel and food are already rising, with inflation and VAT hikes in the pipeline. This spells danger for low-income families, who spend the lion’s share of their money on everyday essentials.”
http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=1960
*IFS Research – Distributional effect of tax and benefits reforms.
.
UNISON, the UK’s leading public sector trade union, today vowed to step up its campaign to protect vital public services against Government cuts, in the wake of the latest research* highlighting the deeply regressive nature of the Government’s budget that is hitting the poorest hardest.
Following the budget, the union accused the Government of declaring war on public services and public service workers calling it “the most draconian budget in decades”, and called for fairer taxation, a transaction tax on banks and action against tax havens and dodgers.
Dave Prentis, UNISON General Secretary, said:
“There is no compassion in this coalition. The Chancellor’s claims that his budget was fair and progressive have been blown out of the water. Well he didn’t fool us then and he’s not fooling anyone now. That is why UNISON is stepping up its campaign to protect the vital public services that the vulnerable and needy rely on most, ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review.
“The Tories always revert to type. They are still the party that clobbers those on the lowest incomes, whilst helping the rich to get richer. It is a disgrace that children from low-income families are the ones paying the price for this bankers’ recession.
“UNISON has long been warning that the Tories plans would hit the poor hardest. Many families are already struggling to cope with the fall out from the recession, and things will only get worse.
“The Comprehensive Spending Review will pile more misery onto families, with more local communities set to lose vital services. The cost of everyday essentials such as fuel and food are already rising, with inflation and VAT hikes in the pipeline. This spells danger for low-income families, who spend the lion’s share of their money on everyday essentials.”
http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=1960
*IFS Research – Distributional effect of tax and benefits reforms.
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BBC News - Budget hits the poorest hardest, says IFS
BBC News - 25 August 2010 Last updated at 04:58 The coalition government's first Budget has hit the poorest families hardest, a leading economic think tank has said.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) said the measures announced in the Budget in June were "regressive".Its analysis suggests that low income families with children are set to lose the most as a percentage of net income due to benefit cuts announced in the Budget.
The Treasury said it did not accept the "selective" findings of the IFS.
The IFS had already challenged the government's claim that the Budget was "progressive".
Its report concluded: "Once all of the benefit cuts are considered, the tax and benefit changes announced in the emergency Budget are clearly regressive as, on average, they hit the poorest households more than those in the upper middle of the income distribution in cash, let alone percentage, terms."
Read more on BBC News site...
But there is an alternative: See www.unison-scotland.org.uk
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Wednesday, August 18, 2010
UNISON anger at Edinburgh cuts announcement
UNISON has expressed its anger at the City of Edinburgh Council’s announcement today to cut a further 16 million with 300 jobs to go. It has called for an emergency meeting with the council today.
John Stevenson, Branch President, said: “UNISON is angry for three reasons. Firstly to hear about these cuts through the media is a disgrace. Only yesterday union negotiators met the council leader Jenny Dawe and no mention was made of these cuts.
“Secondly, despite what the council’s press release says, unions were not being briefed on these unnecessary cuts.
“And thirdly, we are not convinced by the crocodile tears of the council leader. It is her coalition government that is forcing through cuts that the economists who actually predicted the crisis say are not needed and will put the economy into an even bigger mess. These cuts have nothing to do with the deficit, they are purely and simply an ideological attack on public services and the people who rely on them”.
Our members have delivered up to £90m in savings in the last four years. They have helped the council win award after award including being shortlisted for ‘council of the year’. This is a disgraceful way to treat them.
John Stevenson, Branch President, said: “UNISON is angry for three reasons. Firstly to hear about these cuts through the media is a disgrace. Only yesterday union negotiators met the council leader Jenny Dawe and no mention was made of these cuts.
“Secondly, despite what the council’s press release says, unions were not being briefed on these unnecessary cuts.
“And thirdly, we are not convinced by the crocodile tears of the council leader. It is her coalition government that is forcing through cuts that the economists who actually predicted the crisis say are not needed and will put the economy into an even bigger mess. These cuts have nothing to do with the deficit, they are purely and simply an ideological attack on public services and the people who rely on them”.
Our members have delivered up to £90m in savings in the last four years. They have helped the council win award after award including being shortlisted for ‘council of the year’. This is a disgraceful way to treat them.
Monday, August 16, 2010
UNISON welcomes call for end to council tax freeze
UNISON Scotland today welcomed the call from Glasgow city council leader Gordon Matheson for an end to the council tax freeze.
Scottish Organiser Dave Watson said that continuing the freeze will add to the scale of damaging cuts to services around the country.
Dave said: “We welcome the warning from Gordon Matheson about an end to the council tax freeze being needed to offset what he described as ‘some of the more brutal cuts’.
“Local authorities should be able to raise funds through the council tax. Using the tax system is much fairer than raising charges for services.
“Charges hit those on low incomes hardest and the council tax freeze benefits the wealthy disproportionately.
“However, this, and making the council tax fairer, is just part of our agenda to protect public services. UNISON’s ‘Public Works’ campaign will be stepped up in the coming months, demonstrating how Scotland can afford quality public services.”
UNISON activists will be meeting with other trade unions and community groups from around Scotland next month for the union’s ‘There is an alternative’ conference.
UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis and STUC Assistant Secretary Stephen Boyd will speak at the public services strategy conference on 4 September in Glasgow.
Conference workshops will look at how fair taxation and a Living Wage can support services and at the alternatives to major cuts and job losses.
The conference is one of a series of autumn union events including a European Trade Union Confederation Day of Action in September and an STUC demonstration in October.
ENDS
Notes for editors:
1. The ‘There is an Alternative’ conference takes place at the Thistle Hotel, Cambridge Street, Glasgow from 11am-3.30pm on Saturday 4 September.
2. Details of the conference are on UNISON Scotland’s website at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/publicworks/04sep/04Sep_flyerA5.pdf
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Scottish Organiser Dave Watson said that continuing the freeze will add to the scale of damaging cuts to services around the country.
Dave said: “We welcome the warning from Gordon Matheson about an end to the council tax freeze being needed to offset what he described as ‘some of the more brutal cuts’.
“Local authorities should be able to raise funds through the council tax. Using the tax system is much fairer than raising charges for services.
“Charges hit those on low incomes hardest and the council tax freeze benefits the wealthy disproportionately.
“However, this, and making the council tax fairer, is just part of our agenda to protect public services. UNISON’s ‘Public Works’ campaign will be stepped up in the coming months, demonstrating how Scotland can afford quality public services.”
UNISON activists will be meeting with other trade unions and community groups from around Scotland next month for the union’s ‘There is an alternative’ conference.
UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis and STUC Assistant Secretary Stephen Boyd will speak at the public services strategy conference on 4 September in Glasgow.
Conference workshops will look at how fair taxation and a Living Wage can support services and at the alternatives to major cuts and job losses.
The conference is one of a series of autumn union events including a European Trade Union Confederation Day of Action in September and an STUC demonstration in October.
ENDS
Notes for editors:
1. The ‘There is an Alternative’ conference takes place at the Thistle Hotel, Cambridge Street, Glasgow from 11am-3.30pm on Saturday 4 September.
2. Details of the conference are on UNISON Scotland’s website at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/publicworks/04sep/04Sep_flyerA5.pdf
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