Conference slams the austerity agenda and supports Scotland's stance on independence

Like Local Government Conference the focus of National Delegate Conference was again on the pay and conditions of our members, with calls for decent pay rises, an end to zero hours contracts and a proper living wage for all.

There was also a huge focus on the equalities agenda as it is women, especially low paid women, black, disabled, LGBT and young members who have been the hardest hit by this Tory/Lib Dem Government's austerity policies.

Conference backed action, including co-ordinated strike action to win decent wages for our members.

North East Branches host Norwegian trade unionist Kerry

The North East Branches were delighted to welcome Kerry Macallan (centre) from Norwegian trade union Fagforbundet to talk about about working life in Norway and to hear about the challenges facing trade unions in Scotland.

Lyndsey Wallace, local organiser, who had a role in organising the event on Thursday 12th June, at the Aberdeen Resource Centre said,
"Kerry was born in Aberdeen and moved to Norway when she was just 20 years old, so has spent all of her career in Norway.

"She explained there are many similarities between work life and trade unionism here in Scotland and in Norway—namely the fundamental employee rights that trade unions have fought for that are still relevant today—paid annual leave, maternity and paternity rights, a minimum wage,  health & safety standards in a workplace, paid overtime, paid sick leave, equal rights... The list goes on and on!

Aberdeenshire UNISON supports the Miami Five and calls on members to sign online petition

Aberdeenshire UNISON has donated £100 in support of the International Commission of Inquiry into the case of the Miami Five which will take place in London on 7-8 March and is encouraging all our members to support the online petition.

 

UNISON has long supported the campaign to free the Miami Five.

Who are the Five?
The Miami Five are five Cuban men who were unjustly imprisoned in the United States after being arrested by the FBI on Sept 12 1998 and convicted in U.S. federal court in Miami in 2001, in a political prosecution by the U.S. government.