Come along to the May Day March and Rally 2014 and celebrate solidarity across borders

Celebrate International Workers Day. We are calling on all UNISON members to join with us in a family friendly march down Union Street to demonstrate your opposition to austerity and to show solidarity across borders.

The 2014 May Day March and Rally will gather at Rubislaw Terrace Gardens, Aberdeen at 11am.

Organised by Aberdeen Trades Union Council (ATUC), it will march off at 11.30am down the full length of Union Street, to a Rally in the Castlegate at 12.15 where there will be a variety of speakers.

Branch activists take key role at STUC



Branch Chair, Kate Ramsden and Assistant Branch Secretary, Susan Kennedy both had key roles at this year's Congress in Dundee.

Austerity 'a political choice, not an economic necessity'

Susan Kennedy

Susan has attended Congress as a delegate for a number of years now and has been a regular speaker.

This year Susan spoke to a Composite calling for the STUC to continue its high profile campaign against welfare cuts and austerity. As part of this, the STUC will press the UK and Scottish governments to take steps to improve employment protections, including the abolition of employment tribunal fees, and an end to poverty pay.

She condemned austerity as a “a political choice, not an economic necessity” as she supported a call from USDAW, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and Aberdeen TUC for a range of measures to tackle poverty and the cost of living crisis in Scotland.

Branch to consult Food Standards Agency members on pay

The Branch will conduct a consultative ballot of FSA members on whether to accept the FSA's implementation of the 2014 pay award. Ballot papers have been issued and need to be returned by Tuesday 15th April.

This follows a decision of the UNISON FSA Sector Committee on 1st April.

The UNISON Sector Committee's view is that the employers' below-inflation pay offer falls far below the aspirations in our 2013-14 pay claim and what our members deserve. It means a further real terms pay cut for our members.

However, the Committee also believes that it is the best offer achievable by negotiation and that only sustained, all-out strike action can achieve an improved pay offer. The type and format of any strike action will be geared to causing the most disruption that can be achieved with the smallest possible effect on members’ take home pay.

Workers' Memorial Day Monday 28 April 2014 "Remember the dead, fight for the living"

This year's Workers Memorial Day Service, will be held at 11am (gather from 10.30am) at Persley Gardens, Persley, Aberdeen. All are welcome to attend.

International Workers Memorial Day (IWMD) takes place all over the world on 28 April each year.

 

The purpose of IWMD is two-fold. Firstly it is about not forgetting those who have died, been injured, or made ill by their work. Secondly it is about ensuring that tragic loss and suffering are used to reinvigorate the campaign for healthier and safer work.

The campaign calls on us all to "Remember the dead, fight for the living."

The number of people killed at work in Scotland has been rising in recent years, according to official figures. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said 20 workers lost their lives north of the border in 2012 - a rise of six on the previous year.

In this time of austerity, it is ever more important to protect our Health and Safety legislation, which is constantly under attack.

The Service will last for approx 30mins.

Council Staff say We are "Worth It"

Dozens of staff in Woodhill House and Gordon House showed pride in being a public service worker by signing up to UNISON's "Worth It" campaign.

Branch activists, some dressed as key council workers, such as school crossing patrol staff and road workers, held events in Woodhill House on 26th March and Gordon House on 27th March as part of the TUC Fair Pay fortnight, to highlight the very important work that public service workers do, and to remind staff that they are worth decent pay, terms and conditions, and that Aberdeenshire residents are worth decent public services.

Go along to the free showing of "The Happy Lands" and "City Without Class" as part of Aberdeen Festival of Politics 24th March 2014

"The Happy Lands" will be shown at the Belmont Cinema as part of the Aberdeen Festival of Politics on Monday 24th March.

The evening will begin at 6pm with a showing of "City Without Class" a short film about Aberdeen made by local film makers. The Happy Lands will be shown from 6.40pm followed by a discussion and debate about the campagning work of trade unions today. The evening will finish at 9pm.

Sponsored by Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire UNISON entry will be free to all.

For more information about the Festival of Politics go to their website

Aberdeenshire UNISON to visit school support staff "You support children, we'll support you"

UNISON will visit schools across the authority to meet with school support staff to discuss issues affecting Nursery Nurses, PSAs and Admin & Clerical staff.

Susan Kennedy

Susan Kennedy, Assistant Branch Secretary, who has arranged the visits said, "There are a number of issues affecting our support staff in schools across Aberdeenshire,from changes to pre-5s provision to the administration of medications.

"UNISON is very clear that support staff are absolutely fundamental to our children's education. They support the children in their schools and we support them.