Now is the time to stand strong, stand united and put public services first

Branch Chair and NEC member Kate Ramsden joined thousands of people from our union and other unions as they came together in London and demanded change, an end to austerity and real pay rises for all public service workers.

Addressing the rally in Parliament Square, Dave Prentis, UNISON General Secretary told those assembled that this is trade unionism at its best, “United, single-minded and determined to change our country for the better.

Branch members join Pay Up Now march and rally to demand decent pay rise

Branch members joined over 5,000 public service workers as they marched through Edinburgh on 7 October as part of UNISON’s Pay Up Now! Campaign, which is keeping pressure on both the Scottish and Westminster governments to end the pay cap and give all workers a decent pay rise.

Public service employees have seen their pay held back right across the UK for almost a decade. Public sector pay rose by just 4.4% between 2010 and 2016, while the cost of living rose by 22%.

The rally was addressed by Lilian Macer, UNISON Scotland convener, general secretary Dave Prentis and Gordon McKay, the union’s senior vice president.

See the full report on the UNISON Scotland website with photos and videos of the event.

UNISON Pay up Now campaign - March with us on 7th Oct for fair pay for all public service workers

UNISON's Pay up Now campaign is calling for an end to the pay restraint imposed by UK and Scottish governments which has affected members in all service groups from the NHS to Local Government to colleges and universities to police staffs and the community and voluntary sector and more.

The branch is fully behind the campaign and is calling on all our members to get down to the March and Rally on 7th October in Edinburgh. Buses are running from Aberdeen and you can book your place by calling the UNISON Resource Centre on 01224 620624.

Branch Secretary, Inez Kirk said, "For years now all public service workers have seen their pay held back by government in the name of austerity. First a freeze then a cap, resulting in public sector pay, across the UK, rising by just 4.4% between 2010 and 2016 while the cost of living rose by 22%.

"That’s no way to treat hardworking people who play such a vital role in looking after us and holding our communities together – keeping us safe, healthy, educated, and cared for."

Click here for the UNISON UK calculator and find out what your wages should have been to keep up with inflation.

Sleeping in and the minimum wage

Recent legal judgements mean that an employer who requires workers to do a sleep in at their workplace must include that time in calculations for the national minimum wage.

This means that members, and potential members, who sleep in and are low paid, may be entitled to a pay rise and possible back pay.

Inez Kirk

This issue will particularly affect low-paid members in the private or community and voluntary sector who do regular sleep-ins.

But probably not those working for Aberdeenshire council because they are paid above the minimum wage.

Here Inez Kirk, Branch Secretary explains the issue:

“The law states that all workers over the age of 25 should be paid the national living wage as set by Westminster. This rate is £7.50 per hour. This means that for every hour worked this rate should be paid.

“However, this does not mean that each hour during a sleep in should be paid £7.50.

“What it does mean is that the total number of hours worked and the total pay received for those hours should meet the living wage rate.

“So, for example, if you start work at 3pm and work until 11 then sleep in for 8 hours then work from 7 until 3, your total working hours are 24.

“If you then take the total amount of pay received and divide it by 24 and it comes to above £7.50 then your pay meets the level of the national living wage. If it is below £7.50 then the law has been broken and this has to be sorted and back pay given.

“So if you were on £9.77 per hour for the above shift you would be paid 16x£9.77 = £156.32  Plus sleep in £35.41 =  £191.73

“Then divide that by the total number of hours classed as working £191.73/24 = £7.99

“This shows that pay rate is within legislation.

Local Government pay deal agreed

CoSLA has agreed the 2017/18 pay award


The pay deal is..

• Employees earning less than £35,000 a £350* increase (*pro rata based on 37 hours)
• Employees earning more than £35,000 a 1 per cent increase.
• Scottish Local Government Living Wage is the minimum pay for all pay and allowances including additional hours, contractual overtime and other allowances. It will be pensionable.

Letter to branches from Dougie Black, SJC Secretary:

I can now confirm that COSLA have at a Special Leaders Meeting now agreed the SJC Pay award for 2017/18 and the appropriate agreement for issuing to all local authorities is being drafted and will be distributed within the next few days.

The Leaders have also agreed to a joint approach to the Scottish Government making the case for additional resources for local government and if this was successful they recognise that additional money for future pay awards is a priority.

We will also be meeting with COSLA within the next few weeks to start preliminary discussions on a future Pay Strategy and hoping to conclude this by December this year.
Regards

Douglas Black
Regional Organiser/SJC Secretary
UNISON Scotland

UNISON - protecting members' interests as council continues to look at alternative delivery model for sport and leisure

The branch has written out to all affected members with an update on the proposals for an Alternative Delivery Model - essentially a Trust - for sport and leisure services.

The branch will hold meetings with affected members in September to seek your views.

Inez Kirk

Inez Kirk, Branch Secretary writes, "The Council are continuing to work on the proposals for a full business case to establish a Trust for Sport and Leisure. 

"UNISON continues to be involved at every stage of this process; within the Project Board Working Group and Sub Groups.  UNISON is continuing to play the role of “critical friend”, pointing out alternatives to accepted ideas and emphasising the need on ongoing two way communication with all affected staff. 

"We are aware that proposals are due to be heard by full Council in September with a view, if the proposals are accepted, to be implemented on 1st April 2018.

Financial surgeries free to UNISON members July and Sept 2017

UNISON Living along with Lighthouse Financial Advice is holding free surgeries for UNISON members seeking financial advice in Gordon House and Woodhill House in July and September.

These will be held in the Ury Room in Gordon House on 14th July and 29th September and in Conference Room D in Woodhill House on 10th July and 26th September.
The professional financial advisers can advise on

• financial protection for you and your family
• pension advice and planning for retirement
• savings and investments
• tax planning
• mortgages

You can book your place by contacting Hilary Thomson on 01273 523717 or email on hilary.thomson@lighthousegroup.plc.uk

Click here for a Gordon House poster

Click here for a Woodhill House poster

Pay update - Members vote for action but turnout below threshold

UNISON Scotland today announced the result of the Industrial Action ballot which closed yesterday with 62.7% voting in favour of industrial action. However the turnout was 22.8%.

Kate Ramsden, Branch Chair said, "As the turnout is below the 50% threshold, it is not possible to take industrial action under current legislation imposed by the UK Government."

• Number of votes cast; 15,214
• Number of yes votes; 9,540
• Number of no votes; 5,662
• Number of spoiled or invalid papers; 12

The employers have previously stated that they would be prepared to meet with the trade unions once the ballot had concluded and as a result UNISON will be seeking an early meeting to explore how pay can be concluded for 2017/18.

Inez Kirk, Vice-Chair of the Scottish Local Government Committee added, "The committee met in Glasgow this morning to consider the ballot result and were understandably disappointed.

"The ballot did return a vote in favour of taking industrial action but did not meet the requirements of the Trade Union Act 2016.

"However the result did indicate that there are a substantial number of UNISON members who are unhappy with the employers offer on pay and we will be taking this into our meeting with the employers."

UNISON Scotland local government pay ballot now open - don't forget to vote

The pay ballot for UNISON council workers opens today until 30th May 2017. We are calling on all our members to use their vote and have their say. UNISON is campaigning for a YES vote.

Why should you vote in the pay ballot?
Your pay is worth far less now than ten years ago after years of pay restraint and inflation.
Local government workers are seeing their living standards squeezed as the prices of food, gas and electricity, travel and childcare continue to rise. This can not continue – you deserve more. You deserve fair pay.
To take action we need a 50% return on the ballot. Let's show the employers that we care about our pay and that we want decent pay.

What’s not fair?
While inflation indexes show how costs are rising, the impact on individual households is often worse. This cannot continue.
The employers have offered:
• Employees earning less than £35,000 a £350* increase (*pro rata based on 37 hours)
• Employees earning more than £35,000 a 1 per cent increase.
• Scottish Local Government Living Wage is the minimum pay for all pay and allowances including additional hours, contractual overtime and other allowances. It will be pensionable.

What is fair?
The employers’ offer falls far short of our claim. We asked for:
• A flat rate payment of £1,000 for all employees.
• The continued uprating of the Scottish Local Government Living Wage.
• A future pay strategy to identify and redress the imbalance caused by previous pay awards below the rate of inflation.

How do I vote?
UNISON recommends that you vote YES for strike action. Ballot papers along with a pre paid return envelope will be sent directly to members home addresses. If you do not receive a ballot paper then call the Ballot Helpline 08000 857 857 which will be open from 17 May – 25 May.

Am I being asked to strike?
Yes. This is a formal industrial action ballot. The consultative ballot that you previously took part in returned a very firm rejection of the employers offer.

What action might I be asked to take?
This will be determined by UNISON’s Scottish Local Government Committee later this month however it is likely that any programme of action will commence with a single day of action for all members.

Click here for UNISON Scotland resources

UNISON members to be balloted for industrial action – Voting opens 11 May & closes 30 May

A letter has been sent out to all members urging members to vote YES for industrial action in support of decent pay. Please note - the dates of the ballot have been changed to 11th May to 30th May 2017.

Dear Member
Following one of the highest returns in a full membership consultation, UNISON members voted overwhelmingly to REJECT the Employers’ offer (77.6% of those voting).

On this basis a decision was taken to proceed to a full Industrial Action ballot. Members have sent a clear message to say they have had enough of years of below inflation pay rises.

Members of UNITE The Union and GMB have both accepted the Employers’ offer, however the number of UNISON members rejecting the offer exceeds the total combined Local Government membership of these trade unions .

UNISON will continue to fight for FAIR PAY, putting our members at the heart of the campaign.

Members overwhelmingly reject pay offer - UNISON to ballot on industrial action

UNISON will ballot 70,000 local government members across every local authority in Scotland on industrial action.

The decision was announced at UNISON’s local government committee meeting on Monday following a consultative ballot which saw 77.6 per cent vote to reject the employers’ pay offer.
 
Dougie Black, regional organiser for UNISON Scotland, said: “Local government workers have suffered years of pay restraint and their pay is worth far less now than ten years ago. The cost of food, gas and electricity, travel and childcare continue to rise and, as a consequence, their living standards have been severely eroded. This can not continue.

“If pay had even just risen with inflation a home care worker, for example, would be paid £19,900 a year when instead they are paid just £16,900; an early years’ worker would receive £24,100 instead of £20,400 and a library assistant would earn £26,400 instead of £22,400. And that’s just to keep up with the cost of living.

“Fair pay remains a priority for UNISON. Our members are the cogs that keep local government services turning and they deserve to be treated fairly.”

Mark Ferguson, Chair of the Local Government Committee added, "The result of the ballot on SJC Pay resulted in an overwhelming rejection of the employers offer.

"The Local Government Committee met to consider this result and unanimously agreed to pursue a further ballot for industrial action to seek to force the employers to make an improved offer."

A Branch Secretaries meeting will be organised w/c 17th April at which further details of the consultative ballot outcome and the arrangements and campaign for the formal industrial action ballot will be outlined.

Online consultation on Pay Offer - Vote to REJECT

UNISON will be balloting members on the employers' latest pay offer via an online forum for the first time ever.

To register your vote, please click here. You will also find leaflets and posters explaining why the pay offer is not fair pay.

N.B. Please check your e mails and Junk folder for the ballot materials and to go to My UNISON to update your e mail addresses.

Click here for more information on the Branch website.

We are worth it! 

We are Worth Fair Pay.

UNISON Scotland Local Government Committee to consult on new pay offer with recommendation to REJECT

Local government employers have tabled a final pay offer and UNISON will now consult members on their views with a recommendation to REJECT this offer.
 
For the first time this will be an an online consultation.

UNISON Scotland’s Local Government Committee unanimously decided to recommend REJECTION of the offer. The committee also agreed to consult members in a digital online ballot commencing 17th March and closing at 12 noon on 7th April.

The employers upped the two previous offers to £350 flat rate for those earning up to £35,000 and 1% for those above, but it fell far short of the union’s demand for a flat rate across the board.

Dougie Black, UNISON lead negotiator, said: “The joint trade union position was united behind the need for only a flat rate claim and not a mixed offer.

"Since the offer was tabled the local government settlement had marginally improved. Previous offers had seen £250 up to £25,000 and 1%, then £300 up to £30,000 and 1% for those above.

“We had persuaded the employers to go back to the COSLA leaders and seek a fresh mandate on the basis of the trade union position.

"However this is nowhere near enough. Our flat rate claim of £1000 would have gone some way towards redressing the 14% fall in pay in real terms. This is a mere drop in the ocean, even for our low paid members."

Pay offer upped slightly but employers asked to think again

Union negotiators met CoSLA in the Steering Group on 14th February to start negotiations on pay.

Branch secretary and UNISON negotiator Inez Teece said, "We reached a point where the employers tabled a slightly different offer which was; £300 for those earning up to £30,000 and 1% for those above.

"The joint trade union position was united behind the need for only a flat rate claim and not a mixed offer. The employers position was that the new offer made was the limit of their mandate.

"We did however persuade the employers to go back to the COSLA Leaders Forum and seek a fresh mandate on the basis of the trade union position.

"We also made the point that since the offer was tabled the LG settlement had marginally changed and asked the employers to consider whether more money could be directed into the pay financial envelope.

"The Steering Group will next meet on 3rd March where we expect the employers to make a final offer."

Pay Update 24th January 2017 - UNISON urges councils to agree decent pay rise now

Aberdeenshire UNISON branch, along with all the other council branches in Scotland, will be writing to the leaders of our councils urging them to make a decent pay offer to staff when they meet on 27th January.

This is the latest in UNISON Scotland's long running pay claim for council workers which was first submitted back in August 2016.

UNISON council branches will also lobby the CoSLA meeting on 27th January.

Kate Ramsden, Branch Chair said, "Our claim has been in for 5 months now with NO response from CoSLA. It's a disgraceful way to treat hard-working staff.

"Council workers deserve a decent pay rise this year after years of falling living standards and we will continue to press the employers for a decent settlement."

Support staff struggling to maintain standards for pupils because of cuts, says UNISON's "Hard Lessons" report

Lack of time, resources and heavy workloads mean support staff are struggling to maintain standards for pupils in Scotland. That is the finding of a wide ranging UNISON report released on Monday 16 January 2017

In probably one of the biggest surveys of school support staff ever in Scotland, staff report heavier workloads, jobs cuts, lack of educational supplies, and dirtier schools. This is while pupil numbers and education support needs are increasing.

There are 6707 more pupils since 2010 in Scottish schools, but there 1841 less support staff and 1389 less teachers. This report confirms the enormous stress this puts on support staff.

54 per cent of support staff say budgets have been cut, 40 per cent carry out unpaid work to meet workloads, 60 per cent say morale is low, and 80 per cent say workloads are heavier. And services like school libraries are closing. Many report stress from the lack of training and support they receive for the tasks they are asked to carry out – like administering medicines or caring for pupils with challenging behaviour.

The report reveals a dedicated workforce committed to supporting children to reach their potential. Staff skip breaks and work late to meet their pupil’s needs. But they are exhausted, undervalued and under enormous pressure.

No happy new year for Local Government Workers

UNISON has slammed Scottish council employers after they have failed to respond to a pay claim lodged by unions in August 2016. 

"Council staff who work tirelessly to provide services across the festive period are being treated in a disgraceful fashion by their employers," say UNISON.

UNISON, and other local authority trade unions, lodged a pay claim with the Scottish employers in August 2016. See pay claim.

However despite many requests employers have failed to respond to it. That’s despite arranging pay claim discussion meetings but then cancelling them at short notice.

UNISON is calling on Scottish local government employers to get round the table in the first days of January 2017, so we can get the new year off to a good start.

UNISON’s lead negotiator, Douglas Black said ‘this is a dreadful way to treat staff who are working exceptionally hard under extreme circumstances to deliver the services that we all rely on. The Scottish employers need to take a hard look at themselves and understand that the greatest asset they rely on are their own staff.’

Mark Ferguson, chairperson of UNISON Local Government Committee added, ‘if an offer is not forthcoming then UNISON will not hesitate to consider taking action to force the employers to the negotiating table. Local government staff are keeping our vital services going over the festive period. It’s surely not too much to ask that the employers at least respond to our pay claim.”

UNISON is contacting all local Councillors to ask them to exert pressure on the employers negotiators to address this issue immediately.

Unions submit one year £1000 flat rate pay claim for council staff

Negotiators from UNISON, Unite and the GMB have jointly submitted a one year pay claim of £1000 flat rate for all staff for 2017-18.

The unions have also called for the continued uprating of the Scottish Living Wage, due to rise from £8.25 to £8.45 from April 2017. And they will press for the development of a pay strategy to identify and make good the imbalance in pay caused by the below inflation pay awards of recent years.

Lead negotiator and UNISON officer, Dougie Black said, "The trade union side believes that this claim is realistic and fair. We hope that the employers will engage in constructive talks with us so that we can reach an early settlement."

Mark Ferguson, Chair of the Scottish Local Government Committee added, "The emplyers have already agreed to fully consolidate the Scottish Living Wage within a three year period so they will need to do that by 1st April 2017.

AGM vows to fight for public services, for public service jobs and for the trade unions who protect them

A lively aggregate AGM saw members at two meetings, the first at Woodhill House and the second at the Kintore Arms, Inverurie, throw their weight behind campaigns to champion public services and public service workers and to fight the Tory government's anti-union bill.

The AGM also backed a local campaign to call for the appropriate provision of healthcare staff to carry out the administration of medications or medical procedures within council and third sector settings; and to put a stop to the voluntary administration of medicines that puts low paid and often untrained staff at risk.

And those members working in professions subject to registration with the Scottish Social Services Council pledged to encourage colleagues to join UNISON for their own protection and to urge members to contact the branch if they are under SSSC investigation.

Our speaker at the aggregate meetings was Carol Ball, joint-Vice Chair of the Scottish Local Government Committee alongside our own Inez Teece. Our thanks go to Carol for a very interesting and powerful presentation on council cuts and the Scottish campaign to champion Local Government services and members.

Click here for a full report of the AGMs .

Stars in our Schools - Celebrating the role of school support staff

UNISON in Schools celebrated the work carried out by all of our school support staff on Friday 27th November as part of the Stars in our Schools event which is celebrated around 29th November.

Susan Kennedy

Susan Kennedy, Assistant Branch Secretary enabled several schools across Aberdeenshire to take part.

"This allowed those schools to thank all the support staff who are very often forgotten, for all their hard work supporting our children through their educational years,” she said.

Susan added, “I would personally like to thank all those Head Teachers who welcomed and joined in with this event.

“I was able to visit the new Alford and Ellon Campuses where all of the school staff have been busy over the past few months in preparation for the pupils.”

Neil Morison, Head Teacher at Portlethen academy said it was a wonderful opportunity to spend time with all his support staff and thank them for their hard work.

“Hopefully we will be able to get more schools involved with this event next year, so I look forward to that next autumn,” said Susan.