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PLEASE NOTE: With the move to our new website, we are no longer regularly updating this blog. See the latest updates from our website on the right or click here for the new website.

Friday 27 February 2015

Recall AGM 12 March

The AGM on 26 February was short of the 200 members needed to. Thanks and apologies to the 168 members who did attend. Please make every effort to attend the meeting on 12 March. Links to AGM documents are below or go to www.unison-edinburgh.org.uk

AGM 2015 Calling Notice, Agenda and 2014 Annual Report  (pdf) - Please note the online version has important updates and corrections to the printed version including an updated treasurer's report

Click here for large print version in Word format

Click here for the Supplementary Agenda with election candidates' biographical details and amendments to motions (pdf)

UNISON website blocked on council system

It appears a fault with the Edinburgh Council IT system is currently blocking the UNISON Edinburgh website. For updates in the meantime and info on the recall AGM, check out this blog.

Wednesday 25 February 2015

Victory for part time staff unsocial hours payments

After months of pressure from UNISON, the Council has agreed that part time employees can now claim unsocial hours payments (UHPs) for additional hours worked that attract these payments up to 36 hours per week.

UHPs should be claimed by the employee then approved by their their manager who can also approve backdated claims for work from 1 November 2014 to 31 January 2015.

Tom Connolly, UNISON Assistant Secretary, said: "UNISON had long argued that it was a nonsense that some part time staff were being paid less than full time colleagues.

"For example, if someone worked 30 hours and was asked to do six hours extra, they got paid less per hour for those six hours."

"A variation of the 'Modernising Pay' scheme is very rare and we are really glad that UNISON's tenacity has paid off for these members."

Freespace staff vote for UNISON recognition

Staff at Freespace Scotland have voted resoundingly for union recognition in the workforce of 137.

Only three people voted against recognition of UNISON in an ACAS organised ballot of all staff and the legal 40% threshold was passed.

The Branch is now setting about organising stewards and members' meetings and looking to recruit even more members.

Wednesday 18 February 2015

AGM supplementary agenda now online

Branch AGM Thursday 26 Feb 18.00. Supplementary Agenda now online with election candidates' biographical details and amendments. The AGM will be held at 6pm on Thursday 26 February 2015 in the Augustine Church, George IV Bridge Edinburgh. For full details of the AGM http://www.unison-edinburgh.org.uk/meetings/agm.html

Thursday 12 February 2015

Cleaning staff don't sign your rights away

Some Edinburgh Council cleaning staff will have recently been approached by their line manager asking them to reduce their hours or take voluntary early release (VERA). Further consultation is required over this with management but in the meantime only note your interest and do not sign your
rights away. Click here for a briefing

Thanks to all who joined the lobby

A big thank you from UNISON Edinburgh to all those who turned out to lobby against council cuts this morning.

Tuesday 10 February 2015

Lobby against the cuts 12 Feb

UNISON members will lobby Edinburgh Council on 12 Feb at 08.30 at the City Chambers against cuts that could mean the loss of 1200 jobs.

Edinburgh Council faces even more cuts this year on top of the millions already cut year after year. Our local services can’t survive any more of this.

40,000 jobs have been lost in local government across Scotland in recent years. In any other industry that would bring political calls for a rescue package.

These jobs are people. It is people that provide council services like cleansing, home care, public safety, roads, trading standards, child protection, residential homes and much much more.

The cuts also affect workers in the voluntary sector who provide services for the public. In fact the cuts affect everyone in Edinburgh. The vicious circle of cuts, less money in the economy and less tax coming in leads to even more cuts.

Everyone is worse off. Council workers, the people that rely on council services and local businesses.

The cuts are dressed up as a reorganisation but they are still cuts. Nobody is against better ways of providing public services but the nature of local services is that they need people to provide them.

A computer can’t deliver home care. The internet won’t collect the bins. That takes people and 1,200 of them could go with those left behind under intolerable pressure to carry on trying to deliver your services.

UNISON represents the people who deliver your services. Join us now to tell the council that we support Edinburgh’s services and we want them to do the same!