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Thursday 31 October 2013

Council to pay for PVGs - great success for unions

UNISON and the other public sector trade unions representing City of Edinburgh Council staff have welcomed the council's decision to pay for retrospective 'Protection of Vulnerable Groups' checking.
  The Council's Finance and Resources Committee meeting this morning the elected members agreed to the payment of all retrospective checking for staff and those who have already paid will be funded see page 5 on the following link;
http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/download/meetings/id/41174/item_7_6%09pvg_scheme_%E2%80%93_payment_of_registration_fees_for_existing_employees

PAY: WE NEED YOUR VIEWS

Should UNISON ignore the 1% pay imposition for 2014 and submit a claim anyway - or should the union build for 2015 instead? The branch is seeking members' views after CoSLA imposed a 1% pay rise for this year and next. CoSLA changed deal from a one year offer to two years after the one year deal had been accepted by UNISON members in a ballot. See more details at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/localgovt/pay2013/index.html  and http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/news/2013/sepoct/1028.htm
LOG YOUR VIEWS AT http://www.unison-edinburgh.org.uk/pay/index.html

Support Higher Education workers on pay strike

Join the strike rally at Bristo Square today 12.00. A UNISON, UCU and Unite rally will take place at Bristo Square, Edinburgh today (31 October) from 12.00 - 13.00. Get along and support our colleagues if you can. This will begin a day of action by unions representing all sectors of the higher education workforce It’s not action that’s being taken lightly but following a 13% decrease in the value of pay over the last four years. the workforce serving our students have had enough. Pay should be at a level which attracts and maintains a happy and motivated workforce. Instead staff are being asked to do more and take home less and less to their families year after year. See more at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/news/2013/sepoct/1030b.htm

Saturday 26 October 2013

UNISON Scotland: Local Govt Pay - CoSLA claim is nonsense

UNISON Scotland: Local Govt Pay - CoSLA claim is nonsense: The real fact is CoSLA imposed a new two year offer after a one year deal had been accepted by UNISON members in a ballot. CoSLA's cr...

Friday 11 October 2013

UNISON has ‘grave concerns’ over Edinburgh budget cuts

UNISON, the biggest union representing workers at The City of Edinburgh Council, has issued a statement announcing “grave concerns” about service cuts highlighted in the draft budget proposals produced by the council.

“While we have some sympathy for the cuts being forced on the council by Westminster and Holyrood, our members have grave concerns that the proposals would see a scathing reduction in all the essential services the council provides, and as a result will affect every Edinburgh resident”, said Tom Connolly, UNISON City of Edinburgh Branch service conditions officer.

Wednesday 9 October 2013

Pensions ballot - come and hear the facts

The branch has set up meetings on 15 and 29 October for members to get the facts about the pensions ballot starting on 16 October. UNISON is recommending you accept the new Local Government Pension Scheme proposals.

Tuesday 15 Oct 5pm - 7pm European Room
Tuesday 29 Oct 6pm - 8pm Business Centre
both at City Chambers, High Street, Edinburgh


Eric MacLennan, branch pensions champion, and senior branch officers will be at the meetings to explain the proposals for the new 2015 scheme and the negotiations that led up to them.

Ballot papers will be sent out to members who are conditioned to the Scottish Local Government Pension Scheme on 16 October. The closing date for the ballot is 10am on 7 November 2013. Any member who has not received a ballot paper should contact UNISON Direct on 0845 355 0845.

Each member will get a ballot paper with a recommendation that they vote to Accept the current proposals. There will also be an explanatory leaflet that outlines the proposals. A copy of the leaflet is on the website at www.unison-edinburgh.org.uk along with the draft Heads of Agreement and other materials.

Monday 7 October 2013

Edinburgh welcomes Denis Goldberg to the Edinburgh World Justice Festival 2013

Densi Goldberg and John StevensonCome and be inspired by Denis Goldberg and many others during Edinburgh World Justice Festival - a fortnight's programme of events that will inform you, challenge you, encourage you, network you and take you on a walk around scandalous Edinburgh.
     Denis Goldberg, who was sentenced at the same time as Nelson Mandela for his part in the struggle against apartheid, will be the keynote speaker at the opening event 'World Justice and Austerity' on 12th October, from 11am at the Grassmarket Centre, 86 Candlemaker Row, Edinburgh EH1 2QA.
   This will be followed by an exciting programme of events from 12th - 26th October which will introduce you to the ideas and organisations working for a fair and just world. There will be free events on topics as diverse as Burma's transition to democracy, women and war in Iraq and Afghanistan, scandals in global finance, radical voices, the arms trade and people's health.
   For full details to go www.ewjf.org.uk - you can also find us (and like us!) on facebook and follow on twitter @edworldjustice   See below for more about Denis Goldberg.