About UNISON

Proud to be in UNISONWho are we?
UNISON is Britain’s and Europe’s biggest public sector union with more than 1.3 million members – around 150,000 of those in Scotland. See the UNISON UK site ‘About’ pages for more details about our membership, policies, priorities and objectives.

Join us
Good reasons why UNISON is right for you – click here for details
For a range of member benefits in Scotland and UK wide click here

Contact us
– Offices in Scotland, branch details and a branch finder are here
– Details on how to get help and advice, to update your details or help with this website are here

Resources
UK pages here offer a range of information and support for activists
– Check out UNISON Scotland’s Resource Portal with links to briefings, responses, news, campaigns, bargaining links and Activists’ Zone,

Equalities
UNISON is built on equality. Click here for self organised groups.

Political Fund
Details of UNISON’s unique political fund are here with general lobbying and political work in the General Political Fund here and the Scottish Labour Link here.

Elections
All you need to know about UNISON’s elections – UK election news and details here

Democracy and structures
Structure mapScotland is one of 12 UNISON Regions but also has some special arrangements to reflect devolution and Scotland’s unique political, legal and media context. See below for Scotland’s structures.

– The UNISON UK national structure is here, with Regions and Branch structures here.

Members
UNISON members work in all areas of public services in Local Government, Health Services, Further and Higher Education, utilities like Gas, Electricity and Water, Transport, Police Civilians and in the voluntary and related sectors.

Members vote directly by postal ballot for the General Secretary and National Executive. In the rare event that industrial action is called for, that also requires a postal ballot. They elect stewards and branch officers locally at meetings or by ballot.

Branches

Every member is allocated to a branch. Through the branch structures, they elect stewards and branch officers and delegates to, eg Scottish Council.

Branches are usually based on employers or groups of employers, eg City of Edinburgh Branch which covers those employed by City of Edinburgh Council but also over one hundred other related and voluntary sector employers.

Members are advised of the name of their branch secretary on joining UNISON.

UNISON Scottish Council
Comprises delegates from all Scottish branches and meets three times a year to elect officers, committees, delegations etc and set policies on general matters. Oversees the work of Scottish Committees. Pay and conditions issues specific to any particular service are dealt with by the Service Groups.

UNISON Scottish Committee
Comprises elected members from Scottish Council, Service Group delegates and Self Organised Group delegates. Has the key policy and strategy role between Scottish Council meetings.