Local government strike ballot approved
(15/05/08) UNISON members working in local government in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have been given the green light for a ballot on industrial action after rejecting the pay offer from employers.The offer is for a 2.45% increase on all grades from scale point 7, with an additional £100 flat rate increase on scale points 4, 5 and 6, giving workers on those points a 3.3% rise.Employers also want agreement that the National Joint Council, the negotiating body, will seek to conclude a review of 'Green Book' terms and conditions, started as part of the 2007-8 settlement, by the end of this year, and 'seek to' agree pay rises of 2009-10 and 2010-11 by 31 December also.The offer is below the current inflation rate of 4.2% and less that the increase in average earnings across the economy.If members vote Yes to industrial action, that is likely to start with a two-day all-out strike in early July, and be followed by a sustained campaign of escalating action, involving strikes of more than two days.Asking members to vote for action, the union is making it clear that the employers' offer is final, and "solid and sustained" industrial action will be needed to convince the employers to reopen negotiations.In Scotland, an 80% rejection result in UNISON’s local government pay consultation is also likely to lead to a campaign and an industrial action ballot.Scotland’s local government committee has agreed to try and build a united campaign for industrial action with the other unions on the Scottish negotiating body.The offer from the Scottish employers, hasn’t been improved in recent discussions despite recent increases in inflation. It stays at 2.5% each year for three years, with no weighting for the low paid, and no chance to reopen negotiations should inflation continue to increase over that period.Scotland’s local government policy forum discussed the pay dispute and the results of the consultation exercise in some detail at their recent seminar and agreed to hold further discussions with colleagues from GMB and UNITE (T&G) at the next joint union side on 22 May. A Scottish local government conference has been called for 29 May, where a full report on the current position will be made, and a campaign is planned during June, aiming to build toward an industrial action ballot in the summer.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Dave Prentis says...
This week an important report, by the Commission on Vulnerable Employment, will be published that exposes a hidden Britain of exploitation and abuse of nearly two million workers. As a member of the Commission, I have been shocked at the extent of the abuse and the way that these workers become trapped in a cycle of low pay and exploitation.Many of the abuses were lawful and underline how inadequate UK employment law still is. As the largest public sector union, we have a duty to make sure that we organise these workers, champion their rights and make sure that bosses are not allowed to get away with what can only be described as 19th century practices.
This week an important report, by the Commission on Vulnerable Employment, will be published that exposes a hidden Britain of exploitation and abuse of nearly two million workers. As a member of the Commission, I have been shocked at the extent of the abuse and the way that these workers become trapped in a cycle of low pay and exploitation.Many of the abuses were lawful and underline how inadequate UK employment law still is. As the largest public sector union, we have a duty to make sure that we organise these workers, champion their rights and make sure that bosses are not allowed to get away with what can only be described as 19th century practices.
Monday, May 05, 2008
Time to end the nation's 30-year wait
for a new bank holiday
The TUC is today (Thursday) marking the 30th anniversary of the creation of the May Day holiday - the last bank holiday to be introduced in the UK - by calling for a new autumn holiday to celebrate the great British tradition of volunteering.
The Callaghan Government introduced the May Day bank holiday on 1 May 1978. As people across the UK celebrated the extra day off work, the Bee Gees were top of the charts with Night Fever, Nottingham Forest were on the way to winning the First Division and a pint of bitter cost just 40p.
But while the worlds of football and music have moved on, the UK's bank holiday allocation has been left behind. No new bank holidays have been introduced since 1978, leaving Britain with just eight, the second lowest in Europe.
The TUC believes that a new bank holiday would help repay employees for their part in building the UK's economic success. The real value of the economy has doubled since 1978, but wages have not kept pace. If today's workers had the same share of the economy that went to wages in 1978, they would each have an extra £2,339 per year - easily enough to pay for another bank holiday.
The TUC, along with leading voluntary organisations, want a new Community Day bank holiday in late October to celebrate and encourage volunteering and community activity.
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'We've gone thirty years without a new bank holiday and the UK is now languishing behind the rest of Europe. People are crying out for a new bank holiday, a call that politicians should be listening to.
'A new bank holiday would give everyone much-needed time with friends and family. Timing it around late October would also create a welcome pit-stop to break the gruelling four-month stint between the August bank holiday and the Christmas break.
'But a new bank holiday should not just be a day off work, it should be a special day that brings the nation together. What better cause for us all to celebrate than our great British tradition of volunteering.'
for a new bank holiday
The TUC is today (Thursday) marking the 30th anniversary of the creation of the May Day holiday - the last bank holiday to be introduced in the UK - by calling for a new autumn holiday to celebrate the great British tradition of volunteering.
The Callaghan Government introduced the May Day bank holiday on 1 May 1978. As people across the UK celebrated the extra day off work, the Bee Gees were top of the charts with Night Fever, Nottingham Forest were on the way to winning the First Division and a pint of bitter cost just 40p.
But while the worlds of football and music have moved on, the UK's bank holiday allocation has been left behind. No new bank holidays have been introduced since 1978, leaving Britain with just eight, the second lowest in Europe.
The TUC believes that a new bank holiday would help repay employees for their part in building the UK's economic success. The real value of the economy has doubled since 1978, but wages have not kept pace. If today's workers had the same share of the economy that went to wages in 1978, they would each have an extra £2,339 per year - easily enough to pay for another bank holiday.
The TUC, along with leading voluntary organisations, want a new Community Day bank holiday in late October to celebrate and encourage volunteering and community activity.
TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'We've gone thirty years without a new bank holiday and the UK is now languishing behind the rest of Europe. People are crying out for a new bank holiday, a call that politicians should be listening to.
'A new bank holiday would give everyone much-needed time with friends and family. Timing it around late October would also create a welcome pit-stop to break the gruelling four-month stint between the August bank holiday and the Christmas break.
'But a new bank holiday should not just be a day off work, it should be a special day that brings the nation together. What better cause for us all to celebrate than our great British tradition of volunteering.'
Food for good !!
(01/05/08) The pioneering fresh, local and healthy school meals enjoyed by East Ayrshire children should be standard in all Scotland’s schools, hospitals and prisons, says UNISON.The union launched its new Food for Good charter yesterday at Gargieston primary school in Kilmarnock – one of the East Ayrshire schools that’s showing how healthy, sustainable meals can be provided at a reasonable cost.UNISON wants to see the charter introduced across the public sector to help change the diet and health of the nation.The move is in response to a Scottish government consultation on establishing a national food policy.Speaking at the launch, UNISON’s Scottish organiser, Dave Watson, said: “Food for Good would improve the health of children in schools and nurseries and of hospital patients and prisoners as well as being good for the environment, for local suppliers and those in the developing world.“East Ayrshire has delivered a first-class example of how public sector catering can rise to the challenge and deliver quality, healthy food – food that is fresh and prepared and sourced locally where possible. And provided at a cost within the standard range local authorities already pay.”UNISON’s Food for Good charter addresses issues including sustainability, health, fair trade, proper pay and employment conditions and animal welfare.Hospital chef Lilian Macer, who chairs UNISON’s health group executive, pointed out that privatisation policies had led to mass-produced chilled and frozen ‘ready meals’ being transported hundreds of miles in order to cut costs at the expense of a quality service.“We believe that sustainability should be at the heart of food policy,” she added.“The aim for all public sector catering should be to give a daily option of an organic/ethically-produced main meal.”UNISON’s Food for Good charter
(01/05/08) The pioneering fresh, local and healthy school meals enjoyed by East Ayrshire children should be standard in all Scotland’s schools, hospitals and prisons, says UNISON.The union launched its new Food for Good charter yesterday at Gargieston primary school in Kilmarnock – one of the East Ayrshire schools that’s showing how healthy, sustainable meals can be provided at a reasonable cost.UNISON wants to see the charter introduced across the public sector to help change the diet and health of the nation.The move is in response to a Scottish government consultation on establishing a national food policy.Speaking at the launch, UNISON’s Scottish organiser, Dave Watson, said: “Food for Good would improve the health of children in schools and nurseries and of hospital patients and prisoners as well as being good for the environment, for local suppliers and those in the developing world.“East Ayrshire has delivered a first-class example of how public sector catering can rise to the challenge and deliver quality, healthy food – food that is fresh and prepared and sourced locally where possible. And provided at a cost within the standard range local authorities already pay.”UNISON’s Food for Good charter addresses issues including sustainability, health, fair trade, proper pay and employment conditions and animal welfare.Hospital chef Lilian Macer, who chairs UNISON’s health group executive, pointed out that privatisation policies had led to mass-produced chilled and frozen ‘ready meals’ being transported hundreds of miles in order to cut costs at the expense of a quality service.“We believe that sustainability should be at the heart of food policy,” she added.“The aim for all public sector catering should be to give a daily option of an organic/ethically-produced main meal.”UNISON’s Food for Good charter
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