Celebrate Council cuts Happy festive season to all learning Campaign our members ...especially to those New course mounts as we PUBLIC programme face ‘worst delivering services over the holiday for 2016 out cuts in living WORKS: now - p2 memory’ p2-3 a million voices for public Scotland UNISON services in December 2015 No.117 scottish council activists bulletin Use these stories in your branch newsletter or circulate the pdf version to members THE LAW THAT AIMS TO ‘CLOSE UNIONS DOWN’ Communications Awards 2015 on’t be too modest! Enter Dthe 2015 UNISON Scotland Communications Awards. Not only is this competition a good opportunity to Beat the give you and your branch some well- deserved recognition for the excellent work you do, but it will also help us build a stronger union by sharing best practice, your anti-union innovative ideas and your enthusiasm. The categories are: l Best Printed Publication l Best Campaign l Best online presence l Special Recruitment Prize As usual, the UNISON bill ‘family’ is sponsoring the awards with cash prizes of £150 for first, then £100 and £50. by John Stevenson Branches and self organised SiU editor groups can enter at www.unison-scotland.org.uk/comms e should call by Friday 15 January 2016. Wthe Trade The awards will be presented Union Bill exactly at the February Scottish Council what it is, an anti- meeting. union bill, Scottish UNISON branches St Andrew’s day were told in a Defeating Refugees welcome campaign briefing SANTA RECRUITS FOR UNISON: UNISON’s Mrs Santa and elves ‘the bill is a brought festive cheer to Kilmarnock’s Crosshouse hospital last week and UH Ayr at the union’s Scottish Council. responsibility the week before, and recruited 22 new members into the bargain!. Peter Hunter, regional that rests with He welcomed pledges on their austerity cuts either. will be fought and won by manager, told delegates: us - we must from employers in “If we shelter behind the union.” “A Trade Union Bill Scotland who say they their rhetoric we’ll soon Peter outlined a three would set out measures lead from the will not comply with the find that’s no shelter at stage campaign now that empowering workers to front’ Peter Hunter law but warned that only all. Defeating the bill is a the bill is going through organise for their mutual the trade union campaign responsibility that rests the Lords. Marchers braved the weather in benefit. the legislation the name it would beat the bill. with us. A campaign we The union will oppose, Glasgow and Aberdeen (above) “This bill aims to stop deserves. “The government and must lead from the front. resist and if necessary on 28 November for the STUC St us in our tracks. It aims to “This bill is the anti- employers won’t “Employers and mitigate through grass Andrew’s day rally against racism. close unions down. As union bill. There can be ‘willingly’ implement the Government support is roots organisation. This year’s theme was ‘Refugees with the Poll Tax we give no other name.” bill but they’re not that keen welcome, but the victory Turn to Page 2 Welcome Here’ as the first Syrian refugees arrived in Scotland. government would: “Never Corbyn and Sturgeon say the bill must go ever employ agency workers to undermine rousing STUC rally We only realise Westminster, not the suits strike action. Ain Glasgow on 10 in the boardrooms, not the “If this bill is passed we December brought a ‘our power, when billionaires ensconced in are going to do everything in united front against we stand together their tax havens. You, the our power to make sure it the anti-union bill. as one’ Jeremy Corbyn people. will not succeed. We will not Labour leader Jeremy “But we only realise our stand by and let this bill Corbyn pledged to repeal speech to 2,000 people in power, when we stand undermine the relationship the bill if it becomes law the Royal Concert Hall, together as one”, he said. we have with trade unions.” and to introduce a positive Jeremy Corbyn pointed out “We will defeat this The rally also heard charter for workers' rights. that we already have the government, we will defeat from Mike Kirby, UNISON First Minister Nicola most restrictive labour laws austerity, we will repeal this Scottish Secretary, and Sturgeon said Holyrood Jeremy Corbyn in Europe but now the Nicola Sturgeon bill and, together, we can and Chris Stephens, a long time would continue to argue would be second best to it Tories are moving further: He said democracy we will build a better society.” UNISON activist and now that the bill should not not applying anywhere.” “They are trying to take means the people have the Nicola Sturgeon MP who leads for the SNP apply to Scotland but “that In an inspirational away your voice for good.” power: “Not the Tories in promised the Scottish on the bill at Westminster. www.unison-scotland.org.uk ScotlandinUNISON page 2 december 2015 College staff Respond to SSSC codes of practice consultation NISON Scotland’s The amended codes of practice first hand how the regulator they have no sanctions at their to vote on USocial Work Issues are now out for consultation, responds to our members when disposal where breaches occur. Group (SWIG) will call for along with proposals from the they are alleged to have breached “We think this needs to change new pay offer social service employers SSSC to move away from a their Codes of Practice. and the Strategic Review Group conduct based model of “We have supported many has been looking closely at this.” NISON Scotland’s Further to face sanctions if they regulation to a fitness to practise members, some of whom have Kate also urged members in Education Committee is to breach their codes of U model which can take into ended up at conduct hearings social work to come to their recommend acceptance of a practice in the same way new pay offer won after as social work staff are account of issues such as ill- facing deregistration and the UNISON rep right away if they are health which may temporarily ending of their career. being investigated by the SSSC. members in colleges threatened held accountable through impact on workers’ ability to do “In some of these cases, the “Before members reply to any industrial action. their regulator, the Members will have the final say on their jobs. employer has also breached their allegations of misconduct it is Scottish Social Services Kate said, “UNISON is urging codes of practice, and although essential that they seek advice from in a ballot from 7 to 21 January 2016. Council (SSSC). In November staff resoundingly our members to respond to the we can refer to that in our defence their steward or branch officer The SSSC are currently consultation which has a closing of our members, there seem to be immediately.” rejected the ‘final’ offer from the first reviewing their codes of practice ever round of Scottish pay negotiations date of 15 Jan 2016 and can be no mechanisms to investigate and She also called on members to for workers and employers and and called for an action ballot. That found at: www.sssc.uk.com by to hold them properly to account. encourage their colleagues to join SWIG member Kate Ramsden moved the employers’ to a clicking on ‘consultations’. “The Care Inspectorate is UNISON if they are not already significantly improved the offer sits on the Strategic Review “As a trade union we know at supposed to have that role but members. which now includes: Group on behalf of UNISON. The Living Wage from 1 April 2015 (moving to full accreditation for Anti-union bill all 26 colleges by December 2016). Celebrate learning as new Pay: A £300 consolidated flat rate From Page 1 rise from 1 April 2015 for all those Mass opposition has had a earning under £31k. This improves the course programme launched visible impact in the Commons offer for those earning £21 to £29k; 1% and the union is now opposing for the minority of support staff who by targeted lobbying of the earn over £30k; an unconsolidated 2015 by Nancy Kelly Lords on a host of technical rise of the same value to those on local Regional Organiser issues and maintaining the mass pay protection. campaign and that must be elegates from UNISON Leave and hours: Two days carefully co-ordinated. branches across additional ‘unconsolidated’ leave for all D It is essential that any contact for 2015 only and a minimum of 27 Scotland came to the with Lords is planned and days annual leave from 1 April 2015. union’s annual Celebrate coordinated through the Standardisation of a 35 hour week by 1 Learning Day in Edinburgh national campaign via the April 2016. on 1 December. Scottish Secretary. A spokesperson for UNISON They were welcomed by The aim is still to defeat the Scotland’s FE committee said: “On the chair and vice-chair of the bill but if it is enacted we will balance the FE Committee see the Learning and Organising need to resist through negotiating 2015 offer as a good platform to Committee, Lawrence Hunter commence national bargaining. now for commitments from and Maggie Cook. “We will build on this in 2016 to employers to resist some or all of achieve a flat rate settlement for all The guest speaker was the measures in the bill. staff across FE and to establish a fair Teresa Donegan, UNISON’s And if elements of the bill are pay and grading model and a set of new national head of learning enacted, branches will need to common term and conditions in FE and organising services who mitigate the effects through co- across Scotland.” set out the challenges facing ordinated organising and John Gallacher, Scottish Organiser us in delivering opportunities recruiting on the ground.