UNISON Scotland
Latest Press Releases

UNISON Scotland Auschwitz tour to remember Holocaust heroine
UNISON activists are embarking on a study tour to Auschwitz on Wednesday (25 April) to raise awareness of the atrocities of the Holocaust and also to honour Jane Haining – ... Read More

UNISON secures above inflation pay offer for NHS staff
Scotland’s biggest health union, UNISON has reacted positively to a draft joint statement on NHS pay which, if agreed, would secure an immediate above inflation 3% wage rise for the ... Read More

UNISON calls on Scotland’s largest college to pay workers the Real Living Wage
The City of Glasgow College is to investigate moving the statue of Emily Pankhurst in London to the gates of the College whilst not paying low paid women the Real ... Read More

Sheltered housing cuts increase loneliness in older people, says UNISON
UNISON Scotland is warning today against further cuts to sheltered housing budgets. The union says cuts are contributing to a generation of lonely older people and do not make financial ... Read More

‘Warm, dry home should be a basic right’, says UNISON
One third of households in Scotland suffer from fuel poverty. A shocking statistic for a wealthy country that has an abundance of energy resources. A warm, dry home should be ... Read More

UNISON Scotland gives a cautious welcome to NHS England Pay deal.
UNISON Scotland has offered a cautious welcome to news that the NHS UK Staff Council have reached agreement on a modernising pay deal for NHS England and is calling in ... Read More

UNISON open letter on Argyll & Bute HSCP cuts
UNISON has today sent and open letter regarding devastating health and social care cuts being proposed in Argyll & Bute (see link on right) Simon Macfarlane, UNISON Regional Organiser said: ... Read More

Scottish Borders Council ‘woefully inadequate’ and ‘utterly shameful’, says employment tribunal judge.
Anthony Carson, who is a UNISON member, has been awarded £56,581 by an employment tribunal, the highest award possible in his case. Anthony successfully claimed that he was unfairly dismissed ... Read More

Fighting council cuts in Clackmannan
Media Release Date: 6th March 2018 Embargo: immediate Release UNISON Fight Council Cuts, Defend Vital Services, Protect Jobs. On Thursday the 8th of March, Elected Members at Clackmannanshire Council will ... Read More

Dave Prentis launches Edinburgh mobile advice service
For immediate release UNISON launches new mobile face-to-face advice service for workers in Edinburgh and the Lothians UNISON is today (Friday) launching a new face-to-face advice service for employees working ... Read More

“Significant risks” to delivering early learning and childcare plan, UNISON comment
UNISON comment on embargoed news release (Thursday) on a joint report by the Auditor General for Scotland and the Accounts Commission into the expansion of early learning and childcare provision ... Read More

UNISON women to march on George Square for equal pay
Hundreds of women will march on George Square in Glasgow on Saturday 10 February, continuing their demand for equal pay. The march will be led by 30 women dressed as ... Read More

Moray UNISON events against ‘Valentine’s Day massacre of services’
Moray UNISON Press release: The councillors of Moray Council will meet on 14th February 2018 to consider proposals to cuts services and jobs across the Authority with scant regard to ... Read More

UNISON comment on the Scottish Rate of Income Tax & the Budget
On 31 January MSPs backed the general principles of the Budget Bill, with 69 backing it and 56 voting against. Mike Kirby, UNISON Scottish Secretary said: "We acknowledge the more ... Read More

Focus on children not structures, says UNISON in response to Headteachers’ Charter
UNISON Scotland, the union for school support staff, says the Scottish government’s plans to create a Headteachers’ Charter is flawed and will make it harder to deliver quality education. The ... Read More

New UNISON research by Jimmy Reid Foundation
As agreeing the Scottish Government Budget for 2018/2019 reaches a critical stage, UNISON has commisioned a new report from the Jimmy Reid Foundation: The contribution local government makes to our communities ... Read More

UNISON women welcome councillors decision to end pay discrimination
Glasgow City Council’s City Administration Committee voted today (Wednesday) not to appeal to the Supreme Court in the long running equal pay cases brought by thousands of council employees. The ... Read More

Time’s up on pay discrimination says UNISON as it calls on Glasgow City Council to end equal pay dispute
UNISON Scotland is calling on Glasgow City Council to put an end to damaging and expensive legal appeals and finally pay women what they are owed. Glasgow’s City Administration Committee ... Read More

Scottish government must stop the closure of 12 Bield care homes, says UNISON
UNISON is calling for the Scottish government to stop the closure of 12 care homes run by Bield Housing and Care. UNISON will make this call at a public meeting ... Read More

Unions submit local government 2018 pay claim
Unions submit local government 2018 pay claim Trade unions representing local government workers across Scotland (UNISON, Unite and GMB) have submitted their pay claim to local government today. The pay ... Read More

Get it Minuted! Campaign on Scottish Government record keeping
PRESS RELEASE FROM CFoIS: The Campaign for Freedom of Information in Scotland (CFoIS) is launching a ‘Get it Minuted’ Campaign and is calling on people and organisations to ask and ... Read More

Ambulance services on life support for the festive period
The union representing Scottish ambulance workers warned today that lives are being put in danger due to poor planning and dangerously low staffing levels. UNISON, Scotland’s biggest health service trade ... Read More

Festive cheer for Glasgow’s low paid women
Around ten thousand low paid women at Glasgow city council received a large helping of festive cheer from Scotland’s top judges today. The council was today refused permission by the Court ... Read More

UNISON comment on Scottish Budget
UNISON comment on Scottish Budget Dave Watson, UNISON Scottish organiser said: “Any relief from Tory austerity is welcome, but the very modest use of tax powers, particularly for the highest ... Read More

Investment in early years workers is vital in reducing the attainment gap of Scotland’s children
This is the message UNISON will take to the Scottish Parliament today (Tuesday) as it presents its new research report into early learning and childcare. Key findings from the UNISON-commissioned ... Read More

Unions suspend joint working because of Liberal Democrats
UNISON, GMB and Unite trade unions have today written to the leader and chief executive of East Dunbartonshire Council suspending partnership working following the council unilaterally cutting voluntary redundancy terms ... Read More

Robust action promise by UNISON over some public bodies’ poor FOI practice
A new reminder from the Scottish Information Commissioner that public bodies must respond within legal time limits was welcomed today (Tuesday) by UNISON. The trade union pledged to robustly chase ... Read More

‘Change your shoes, Schuh’ call by UNISON to improve shoe workers’ rights
UNISON and Neil Findlay MSP will present a petition on Monday (20 November) to global retailer Schuh calling for leather and shoe supply chain transparency and action to improve shoe ... Read More

Asylum seekers in Scotland are denied social work services, say UNISON and Scottish Association of Social Work
Asylum seekers in Scotland do not get the support services they are entitle to because of inadequate support for social workers who care for them. And, when social workers request ... Read More

Tributes paid after sudden death of Unison union stalwart and freedom of information champion Chris Bartter
(Article by Stephen Naysmith, The Herald, 30 October 2017. Full article here) Tributes have been paid to Chris Bartter a lifelong trade unionist, freedom of information campaigner and blogger, after ... Read More

Residential care homes are failing the elderly, says UNISON Scotland
That’s the message UNISON Scotland is taking to the Scottish Parliament today (Tuesday) to call on politicians to support its new residential care charter. UNISON’s residential care charter seeks to ... Read More

UNISON – rise in attacks on public service staff is ‘tip of iceberg’
Public services union UNISON Scotland has called on the Scottish Government and all public service employers to take action immediately in order to tackle the "massive scale of the problem ... Read More

UNISON submit NHS pay claim to roll back austerity
UNISON Scotland, will formally submit their 2018 pay claim to Shona Robison Cabinet Secretary for Health and Well Being today (Monday) at 9am, when she attends NHS Tayside Health Board's ... Read More

First Minister must intervene in Bield Housing decision to close 12 care homes
Bield Housing and Care, announced yesterday (11 October) that they intend to close 12 care homes in Edinburgh, Falkirk, Glasgow, Borders, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian by summer 2018. Some ... Read More

UNISON comment on proposed 400 job losses at Midlothian Council
Grace Chalmers, UNISON Midlothian branch secretary said: "We have been informed that over 400 jobs are to go at Midlothian Council, that is approximatley 10% of the workforce. If the proposed ... Read More

Public service workers march on Holyrood for fair pay
Public sector workers along with their families and friends will march and rally later today (Saturday) in Edinburgh in support of fair pay for everyone working in Scotland's schools, local ... Read More

UNISON comment on UK government’s decision to extend the suspension of social care minimum wage:
UNISON is working hard, with employers across Scotland, to ensure that social care staff’s pay is compliant with the National Minimum Wage regulations. Penalties are needed to make sure unscrupulous ... Read More

UNISON Labour Link nominate Richard Leonard for Scottish Labour Leader
UNISON Labour Link Scotland today decided to nominate Richard Leonard MSP in the election for a new Leader of the Scottish Labour Party. This followed a consultation with branch Labour ... Read More

Scotland’s employers are failing workers who face violence at work, says UNISON
Violence at work is not ‘part of the job’ says UNISON as it launches a new health and safety guide today (Thursday). UNISON, Scotland’s largest public service union, says employers ... Read More

Violence at work is not ‘part of the job’, says UNISON
UNISON Media Release Violence at work is not ‘part of the job’ says UNISON as it launches a new health and safety guide today (Thursday). UNISON, Scotland’s largest public service ... Read More

All NHS staff need a pay rise that’s above inflation, say Scottish health unions
Following the statement, that NHS unions are today (Friday) breaking with tradition and submitting a pay claim directly to the UK government on behalf of more than one million health ... Read More

Equality audit is a wakeup call to councils and government
UNISON response to the Account Commission’s report: Equal Pay in Scottish Councils, published by Audit Scotland: The Account Commission's analysis of equal pay in Scottish local government is an urgent wakeup ... Read More

UNISON wins fair pay for ambulance staff in Scotland
UNISON has welcomed the salary re-banding for ambulance paramedics and technicians in Scotland as a positive move for the future of the ambulance service in Scotland. Almost 2,600 clinicians will ... Read More

UNISON win second big equal pay victory in Glasgow
UNISON Scotland has won a second big equal pay victory today (Friday) which will affect thousands of low-paid workers in Glasgow. The successful appeal to the Court of Session concerns ... Read More

Glasgow school janitors win pay rise, maintain one janitor / one school and secure jobs
Statement by City of Glasgow UNISON branch Glasgow After a dispute lasting twenty months janitors in Glasgow’s primary, nursery and ASL schools have won a 6% pay rise which will ... Read More

UNISON comment on Audit Scotland report ‘Scotland’s NHS needs better workforce planning’
Matt McLaughlin, UNISON Scotland's head of health said: “UNISON members across the NHS in Scotland support many of the findings in this report, there is no doubt that the service needs to significantly ... Read More

UNISON legal victory sees employment tribunal fees scrapped
UNISON’s tribunal fee verdict is a victory for everyone in work UNISON UK press release: https://www.unison.org.uk/news/article/2017/07/tribunal-fees-victory/ UNISON has won a landmark court victory today (Wednesday 26 July 2017) against the government, ... Read More

UNISON steps up combating austerity campaign to save public sector millions
A campaign to help Scotland’s public sector save and raise millions of pounds is being stepped up today (20 July 2017), with a new report from UNISON on combating austerity ... Read More

Cap busting pay deal for Scottish Colleges
Following several weeks of negotiations on pay and leave in the Scottish National Joint Negotiating Committee for Support Staff in Further Education Colleges, at a meeting in Edinburgh on Thursday ... Read More

Building control staff are overworked, stressed and stuck in the office, says UNISON
That’s the conclusion of UNISON Scotland’s latest survey – Building Stress: a survey of building control staff – released today (Wednesday). The report is the latest in the union’s Damage ... Read More

Low-paid women will welcome MSPs equality plan, says UNISON
UNISON Scotland has welcomed the Scottish Government’s report on pay equality and says it gives hope to low-paid women. The report by the Economy and Fair Work Committee, published today ... Read More

UNISON launch campaign to scrap the 1% pay rise cap on NHS workers
NHS union UNISON have launched a summer of campaign activity calling on the Scottish Government to ‘scrap the cap' on NHS pay, which will include the union and members lobbying ... Read More

Public sector recruitment crisis because of ageing workforce, says UNISON report.
A new report from UNISON warns of a recruitment crisis in the public sector within the next decade because of an ageing workforce. UNISON say that 40% of the public ... Read More

Scottish Government report on NHS staffing – UNISON response
Commenting on today’s (Tuesday) Scottish Government report on NHS staffing, Matt McLaughlin, head of health for UNISON Scotland, said: “UNISON welcomes the publication of the latest NHS Workforce statistics and ... Read More

UNISON tells Glasgow City Council it’s time to pay up following equal pay victory
UNISON Scotland has won an equal pay victory today (Tuesday) which will affect thousands of low-paid workers in Glasgow. Women in Glasgow had been excluded from sizeable bonuses for many ... Read More

UNISON urge council staff to vote in landmark industrial ballot
UNISON Scotland is balloting all local government staff in what is seen as the first big test of the new Trade Union Act 2016. This tory government legislation means that ... Read More

Scottish Labour’s parliamentary motion to end pay cap on NHS staff, UNISON comments
Scotland’s biggest NHS union, UNISON welcomes today’s debate in the Scottish Parliament on NHS pay, and is calling on all parties to back calls for the Westminster government to drop ... Read More

UNISON comment on Fatal Accident Inquiry – Doris Margaret Gilchrist
A spokesperson for UNISON said: “This has been an incredibly distressing case and our thoughts remain with Margaret’s family. “While Sheriff Wood is clear this was a tragic accident, the ... Read More

UNISON to ballot local government members in fight for fair pay
UNISON members have instructed their trade union to ballot 70,000 local government members across every local authority in Scotland on industrial action. The decision was announced at UNISON’s local government ... Read More

Public services are top priority for vast majority of Scottish voters, says polling
UNISON launches its manifesto for the local government elections in Scotland today, ‘For fairness and democracy: keep it local’ (1 April 2017). Its is launched with polling from Survation showing ... Read More

There is little direct monitoring of home care services by councils, says UNISON
Direct contract monitoring of service users is very limited and very few visits are made to check service users are receiving contracted levels of care, according to a report published ... Read More

UNISON slams plans for huge rises in fees for social care staff as a ‘tax on compassion’
UNISON, Scotland’s largest public service union, has hit out after an announcement by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) to hike registration fees. These will see annual fees rise by ... Read More

UNISON comment on Scottish Health Minister’s Parliament statement on trauma centres
Commenting on today’s statement to Parliament by Shona Robison Cab Sec for Health, Wellbeing and Sport concerning the delay until 2020 of a network of major trauma centres across Scotland ... Read More

North Ayrshire Council sign up to Ethical Care Pledge is great news, say UNISON
North Ayrshire Council has adopted UNISON’s Ethical Care Charter, to ensure the delivery of high standards in homecare and better conditions for homecare workers. This is great news for vulnerable ... Read More

Support staff struggling to maintain standards for pupils because of cuts, says UNISON report
Lack of time, resources and heavy workloads mean support staff are struggling to maintain standards for pupils in Scotland. That is the finding of a wide ranging UNISON report released ... Read More

UNISON to meet with Justice Secretary to try and avert strike ballot.
Scottish Police Authority (SPA) and Police Scotland intransigence over police staff pay negotiations has caused a major industrial relations breakdown with UNISON. UNISON is meeting the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, ... Read More

UNISON Glasgow IT Workers use strike day to give blood
Selected UNISON members employed by Access began industrial action on Thursday the 5th of January following the festive period, in a dispute over the privatisation of their jobs and services ... Read More

No happy new year for Local Government Workers.
Council staff who work tirelessly to provide services across the festive period are being treated in a disgraceful fashion by their employers, say UNISON. UNISON, and other local authority trade ... Read More

UNISON lobby Scottish Parliament to call for fair funding for Scotland’s councils
Scotland’s largest trade union will join with other public service unions tomorrow (Thursday) to call for an end to public service cuts. The lobby takes place on the day the ... Read More

UNISON strongly recommend police staff reject latest pay offer
UNISON Police Staff Scotland, the branch of UNISON representing Police Support Staff, informed the Scottish Police Authority today (8 December) that they are recommending its members reject the employers pay offer for ... Read More

Strike action set to resume in Scotland’s colleges
More disruption looms for Scotland’s colleges if employers fail to give support staff a fair deal. UNISON, the trade union for college support staff, has today (Tuesday) written to Colleges ... Read More

UNISON consults West Dunbartonshire Council admin staff on industrial action
UNISON West Dunbartonshire Branch has launched a consultative ballot of administrative workers seeking their views on taking industrial action including strike action. The move comes in response to the council ... Read More

Public service employers are leaving Scotland’s apprentices facing an uncertain future, says UNISON.
That is the conclusion of UNISON’s survey – A Fairer Start: a survey of apprentices in Scotland’s public services – released today (Tuesday). The report is the latest in UNISON ... Read More

UNISON suspend college strike planned for Wednesday 9 November
UNISON has suspended planned strikes in colleges across Scotland in an attempt to offer Colleges Scotland (Employers Association) another opportunity to return to the negotiating table. UNISON held talks with Colleges Scotland at ACAS ... Read More

Two finalists from Scotland chosen for the inaugural Our Health Heroes Awards
A healthcare support worker at Paisley’s Royal Alexandra Hospital and a porter supervisor at Glasgow Dental Hospital have been recognised with Our Health Heroes awards. The honours were created by ... Read More

UNISON Scotland launches mobile phone app to improve patient care
UNISON Scotland has today (Tuesday) launched an app for nurses so they can use their phone or tablet to register concerns about patient care in Scotland’s hospitals. The app – ... Read More

Inverclyde Signs Up to Ethical Care Pledge
Inverclyde Council and Health & Social Care Partnership has become one of the first in Scotland to achieve trade union recognition from UNISON because it is working towards high standards ... Read More

UNISON response to Audit Scotland report ‘NHS struggling to keep up with rising demand and cost pressures’
UNISON Scotland welcomes Audit Scotland report: 'NHS struggling to keep up with rising demand and cost pressures' released on 17 October 2016, calling on all sides of the debate to ... Read More

Violence against public service workers doubled in a decade, says UNISON
UNISON’s annual Violence at Work Survey 2016 is launched today (Friday 21 October) at UNISON health and safety conference at the University of Stirling. It shows a rise of 20,000 to 40,000 ... Read More

UNISON welcomes introduction of Scottish Living Wage for social care
UNISON welcomes the Scottish Government commitment to introduce the Scottish Living Wage across the social care sector in Scotland, from 1st October 2016. This is the result of a long ... Read More

More strikes announced as college support staff continue campaign for fair pay, says UNISON
College support staff across Scotland will walk out for a second time this month in an increasingly bitter pay row in the troubled further education (FE) sector. UNISON Scotland and ... Read More

More strikes could follow says UNISON as college support staff continue their campaign for fair pay
More strikes could follow says UNISON as college support staff continue their campaign for fair pay. College support staff across Scotland went on strike yesterday (Tuesday) in what was a ... Read More

UNISON launches first ever national strike across Scotland’s further education colleges
UNISON members across Scotland’s 20 further education (FE) colleges will go on strike on Tuesday, September 6, as an autumn of discontent kicks off in the troubled sector. The dispute ... Read More

Further education members to launch autumn strike campaign
UNISON members across 20 Scottish further education colleges voted overwhelmingly to strike in support of fair pay. The result of the ballot was announced today (Wednesday) and will cause disruption ... Read More

Scotland’s home care service is at breaking point, says report from UNISON Scotland
The report – We care, do you? – is the latest in UNISON Scotland’s damage series which looks at the impact of austerity cuts on the country’s public services and ... Read More

Stress levels of Scotland’s college staff reaching breaking point, says UNISON
A UNISON Scotland survey has revealed more than four out of five college support workers have experienced stress at work, with one in five becoming so sick they were unable ... Read More

UNISON to ballot further education members for strike action in dispute over pay
Scotland’s college support staff are planning an ‘autumn of discontent’ after college bosses failed to deliver a fair deal for support staff. Support staff have been offered £230 in comparison ... Read More

UNISON comment on First Minister’s legal pledge for minimum staffing levels in Scotland’s NHS
Matt McLaughlin, UNISON Scotland’s head of health, said: “UNISON is Scotland’s largest health union and, while a commitment to safe staffing levels should be commended, there is much to do ... Read More

We must value and invest in youth work, says UNISON
UNISON is calling for more investment in youth work and to place more value the role of youth workers. That is the conclusion of a report Growing Pains published by the trade union ... Read More

New wave of industrial action threatens Scotland’s troubled FE sector
Scotland’s college support staff could be forced to take strike action if college bosses fail to deliver on promises. The staff – represented by UNISON Scotland, UNITE and GMB – ... Read More

Pay all care workers living wage, says UNISON
UNISON is calling on all employers to pay the living wage to care workers and all councils to adopt UNISON’s Ethical Care Charter in its Social care manifesto for Scotland ... Read More

New economic report concludes Scotland needs ‘urgent exit from austerity’, says UNISON
Scotland needs ‘urgent exit from austerity’ is the conclusion of a new report commissioned by UNISON, Scotland’s largest trade union. The new report, The Impact of Austerity on Scotland, was ... Read More

Trade unions call for a low carbon Scotland
NOTE TO PICTURE DESKS: Photocall 12.30pm Monday. Details below. Trade unions are today (Monday 18 April) calling for strong action on climate change, with policies to support workers affected in ... Read More

Tackle fuel poverty scandal and help fight climate change, says UNISON
Tackling Scotland’s “disgraceful” fuel poverty scandal must be a top priority and will help fight climate change, UNISON said today. New figures from the Existing Homes Alliance show that 62% ... Read More

Public services are a high priority for voters, says opinion poll
UNISON has launched its Manifesto for the 2016 Scottish Parliament elections calling on people to vote for who they think will invest in public services. The manifesto was launched with ... Read More

Time for childcare promises to be backed by resources
UNISON is calling for fine words and promises to increase childcare to be backed by extra resources for children, parents and the workforce, in its Early Learning and Childcare Manifesto ... Read More

UNISON welcomes IPPR Scotland report ‘Scotland pay packets down 12% in real-terms since 2009’
IPPR report confirms UNISON's view that falling real terms pay has had a considerable negative effect on the economy. The IPPR report which is published today (23 March 2016) confirms ... Read More

Treasury raid on National Insurance will cost Scottish public services hundreds of millions
New rules regarding National Insurance Contributions will see a quarter of a billion pounds cut from Scottish public sector budgets in the coming year. These rules were proposed by George ... Read More

Scotland must recognise the poor state of social work, says UNISON
UNISON is calling for political parties to agree to allocate more resources for social work and social care workers. This call is being made on International Federation of Social Workers World Social ... Read More

UNISON Scotland backs higher education reform bill
UNISON welcomes Scottish Government proposals to give unions a seat on university courts because it will improve participation in decision making and ultimately improve the lives of students in Scotland ... Read More

Registrars struggling to meet new demands, says UNISON Scotland
Scottish Registrars are struggling to meet the new demands on the service. That’s the finding of an UNISON report Registering our Concern, which is launched today (Tuesday, 8 March 2016) UNISON ... Read More

UNISON response to Scottish Government council tax announcement today (2 March)
Dave Watson, UNISON head of policy and public affairs said, 'UNISON welcomes any progress on the council tax freeze. However after 8 years we had expected more than tinkering with ... Read More

UNISON lobbying Scottish Parliament for fair funding for local services
Scotland’s largest trade union will lobby the Scottish Parliament on budget day (1pm, Wednesday 24 February 2016) to call for a fair funding settlement for local services. Local government has ... Read More

UNISON calls day of action to defend local government services
UNISON Scotland’s largest trade union has called a day of action (Thursday 11 February) to campaign against cuts in local services and jobs UNISON members are holding demonstrations, campaigns and lobbying to ... Read More

Trade unions and Falkirk Council fail to agree on new terms and conditions package
Talks between Falkirk Council and Joint Trade Unions broke down today (9 February) after trade unions could not accept the new package of terms and conditions being proposed by Falkirk ... Read More

Cutting libraries will increase poverty and inequality, says UNISON Scotland
Date: Saturday 6 February 2016 On National Libraries Day (6 February 2016), UNISON is warning that more local government cuts will have a drastic impact on libraries across Scotland, decreasing opportunities for all, and ... Read More

Further cuts to local services not sustainable, says UNISON Scotland
Date: Tuesday 2 February 2016 UNISON Scotland is calling for the Scottish Parliament to use its powers to put more money into local services. By 2020 expenditure on public services will ... Read More

Argyll and Bute UNISON achieve end to ‘zero hours’ contracts
Date: Friday 29 January 2016 Against a background of budget cuts and job losses UNISON, the union for council workers in Argyll and Bute has negotiated an end to the ... Read More

New financial powers could save Scottish councils £50m, says UNISON
Date: Wednesday 27 January 2016 Public services union UNISON has today (Wed 27 January 2016) urged the Scottish Government to push ahead with proposed new financial powers for Scottish councils ... Read More

UNISON hails historic pay deal for further education support staff in Scotland
Date: Friday 22 January 2016 UNISON has led negotiations to achieve the first ever national pay rise for over four thousand support staff in Scotland‘s Further Education Colleges. Support staff ... Read More

Sturgeon must act to protect local government services, says UNISON
Date: Tuesday 12 January 2016 UNISON local branches across Scotland are calling on Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland, to meet UNISON members to hear about the damage Government policies ... Read More

Stand up for school librarians, says UNISON Scotland
Date: Monday 21 December 2015 UNISON Scotland has called on councils and Scottish Government to do more to protect school librarians. UNISON says the evidence is that local councils are ... Read More

Simple Minds called to campaign for world cup workers in Qatar
Date: Friday 18 December 2015 UNISON, Scotland’s biggest trade union, has written to the Scottish band Simple Minds asking they speak out for migrant workers rights in Qatar. UNISON supports ... Read More

UNISON Scotland reaction to ministerial statement on draft 2016/17 budget
Date: Wednesday 16 December 2015 Mike Kirby, UNISON Scottish Regional Secretary said, ‘UNISON Scotland recognises that Tory austerity limits the options available in the Spending Review. However, it is unacceptable ... Read More

UNISON calls for Robert Gordon University to remove Donald Trump’s honorary degree
Date: Wednesday 9 December 2015 UNISON members working at Robert Gordon University have written to the Principal, Professor Prondzynski, calling on him to remove Donald Trump's honorary degree because he is reported to have ... Read More

UNISON reaction to DCC Neil Richardson’s statement to Scottish Parliament
Date: Tuesday 1 December 2015 UNISON is calling on DCC Neil Richardson to meet with them to discuss his plans for further job cuts after his words at the Justice Committee ... Read More

‘ICT should focus on providing better services not cuts’ says UNISON report
Date: Monday 30 November 2015 A UNISON Scotland report Disconnected, published today, 30 November 2015, claims that ICT services should focus on better services. The report highlights that ICT systems are all ... Read More

Scottish economy could lose £257m a year under Chancellor’s planned tax credit cuts, says UNISON
Date: Tue 24 November 2015 Local economies across Scotland could be hit to the tune of around £257m a year if the Chancellor confirms tomorrow (Wednesday), in the spending review, that ... Read More

UNISON response to the HMICS Independent Assurance Review: Police Scotland – Call Handling Final Report
Date: Tue 10 November 2015 UNISON Scotland welcomes this report. We call on Police Scotland to implement all its recommendations. HMICS has taken into account the high level of pressure ... Read More

Further education support staff set to reject pay offer – and join lecturing staff across scotland in possible industrial action
Date: Wed 4 November 2015 Further Education support staff took a step closer today (4 November 2015) to industrial action across all Scottish Colleges (except Orkney and Shetland). UNISON Further Education ... Read More

UNISON wins £ multi-million compensation for 1400 women in Fife Council
Date: Wednesday 28 October 2015 UNISON has reached a multi million pound settlement with Fife Council for over 1400, mainly low paid women UNISON members, for their equal pay claims ... Read More

UNISON North Lanarkshire demo as council moves to cut one thousand jobs
Date: Tuesday 27 October 2015 UNISON Scotland MEDIA CALLING NOTICE UNISON, North Lanarkshire branch is holding a demonstration to protest against the latest 1094 job losses announced by North Lanarkshire Council The demonstration is ... Read More

United Nations takes issue with UK government on human rights, says UNISON
Date: Friday 23 October 2015 UNISON media release, with Human Rights Consortium Scotland (HRCS) The Westminster Government faces a series of awkward human rights questions following action by the United ... Read More

Big increase in assaults on public service workers, says UNISON
Date: Friday 23 October 2015 UNISON Scotland is publishing today (23 October 2015) Violence at Work: A Survey of UNISON employers and Staff in Scotland 2015. It shows an increase ... Read More

Community led public services can transform inequalities, says report
Date: Thursday 22 October 2015 UNISON Labour Link Media Release - Launch of Commission on Health Inequalities report will take place at 22 October, 9.00am UNISON Scotland, 14 West Campbell St., Glasgow The report ... Read More

‘Ultimate market madness’, UNISON’s statement on privatisation Scottish Water services
Date: Tuesday 6 October 2015 Dave Watson, head of UNISON Scotland bargaining and campaigns, said: “UNISON is deeply disappointed that the contract for Scotland’s public sector water and wastewater services ... Read More

Scottish Police Authority / Police Scotland Opinion Survey – UNISON Statement
Date: Friday 2 October 2015 The release today (2 October) of the long awaited Staff Survey is a golden opportunity for the Scottish Police Authority and Police Scotland to genuinely ... Read More

Staff morale at rock bottom in Scotland’s colleges, says UNISON
Date: Friday 25 September 2015 A UNISON report from a survey of staff in Scottish colleges, shows real problems caused by funding cuts, the college mergers programme and unaccountable college senior managers ... Read More

Scottish public bodies must mitigate austerity, says UNISON
Date: Wednesday 23 September 2015 UNISON Scotland is launching a campaign today (23 September 2015) calling on the Scottish Government, local authorities and public bodies to do all they can ... Read More

Corbyn has strong mandate to opppose cuts says UNISON Scotland convener
Date: Tuesday 15 September 2015 Speaking at the TUC congress in Brighton, Lilian Macer, Convener of UNISON Scotland, said: "We are delighted that Labour Party has elected a leader who ... Read More

End the cuts and rethink Scottish policing, says UNISON
Date: Thursday 10 September 2015 UNISON Scotland police staff will call for the suspension 'all cuts and reforms while we re-think Scottish policing' at a public meeting in Dundee tonight ... Read More

Fine words and ideals no substitute for investment: UNISON inquiry into Scotland’s libraries
Date: Tuesday 8 September 2015 UNISON, the trade union for Scotland’s library staff, has published a report 'Read It and Weep', which outlines the experience of those working in Scotland’s ... Read More

UNISON Statement on HMICS Independent Assurance Review Police Scotland – Call Handling Interim Report
Date: Thursday 3 September 2015 UNISON welcomes the findings of the HMICS Independent Assurance Review Police Scotland - Call Handling Interim Report. UNISON has fully engaged in this review and ... Read More

UNISON welcomes end of employment tribunal fees in Scotland
Date: Wednesday 2 September 2015 UNISON has welcomed the Scottish Government announcement that it intends to abolish fees for employment tribunals in Scotland. This announcement comes the week after UNISON vowed to go ... Read More

UNISON statement on announcement that Chief Constable Sir Stephen House is to stand down from his post in 3 months time
Date: Thursday 27 August 2015 This announcement is unsurprising. Chief Constable Sir Stephen House was put in an impossible position. The problems which beset Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Board are ... Read More

‘Where is ‘Your Survey’?’ asks UNISON Police Staff Scotland
Date: Wednesday 26 August 2015 UNISON has demanded that Police Scotland publish the results of the Police Staff Survey immediately. This survey is expected to give a true reflection of ... Read More

Let’s work together to make new QEU hospital a success, says UNISON general secretary
Date: Thursday 13 August 2015 Photo opportunity: Time: 12 noon Date: Thursday 13 August Place: UNISON shop, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, 1345 Govan Road G51 4TF UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis is to ... Read More

British Gas jobs announcement ‘Harsh blow to loyal workforce’ says UNISON
Date: Thursday 30 July 2015 Energy union UNISON has described British Gas plans to shed thousands of jobs as a ‘harsh blow to a loyal workforce’. The union are responding ... Read More

UNISON Scotland welcomes breakthrough in tackling low pay in the NHS
Date: Friday 3 July 2015 UNISON Scotland’s Health Committee today welcomed a breakthrough in the fight against poverty pay with the Scottish Government agreeing to a review of the lowest ... Read More

UNISON Labour Link backs Dugdale and Rowley for Scottish Labour leadership
Date: Wednesday 24 June 2015 UNISON Labour Link, the affiliated section of Scotland’s largest trade union, has given its backing to Kezia Dugdale MSP in the contest for the next ... Read More

UNISON launches childcare charter for West Dunbartonshire
Date: Monday 15 June 2015 UNISON has launched a positive 10 point Charter for Early Years services run by West Dunbartonshire Council. Staff feel the quality and value of their ... Read More

UNISON calls on MSPs to oppose fees increase for health and care professionals
Date: Monday 15 June 2015 UNISON is calling on MSPs to oppose new legislation which aims to substantially increase registration fees for professions registered with the Health and Care Professions ... Read More

UNISON sorely disappointed that SECC refuse to reinstate Robert O’Donnell
Date: Friday 12 June 2015 UNISON are sorely disappointed that the SECC have up held their decision to dismiss Robert O’Donnell Robert is a gardener for the SECC. He was ... Read More

NHS union to discuss pay bargaining
Date: Thursday 11 June 2015 Over 60 stewards and union staff from NHS union UNISON meet in Ayr today (Thurs) to plan the union's future strategy on pay in NHS ... Read More

UNISON welcomes call from Reform Scotland to review 1000 extra police officers policy
Date: Thursday 11 June 2015 UNISON Scotland welcomes the report from Reform Scotland The Thinning Blue Line released today (Thursday 11 June 2015). This report mirrors much of what UNISON ... Read More

UNISON demands Stirling and Clacks councils release elusive report
Date: Wednesday 10 June 2015 UNISON has called for the immediate release of all Ernst & Young documentation relating to the future of social care and education in Clackmannanshire and ... Read More

Delivering leisure is no fun, says UNISON Scotland
Date: Tuesday 09 June 2015 Staff delivering culture and leisure services across Scotland are coming under increasing pressure as job losses and lack of investment make their work increasingly difficult ... Read More

UNISON demands Nicola Sturgeon uphold promise of no compulsory redundancies at Glasgow Kelvin College
Date: Wednesday 03 June 2015 UNISON is calling on First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, to uphold the Scottish Government promise that there would be no compulsory redundancies in Further Education sector ... Read More

Student nurses bursaries not fit for purpose, says UNISON report
Date: Tuesday 02 June 2015 UNISON is calling on the Scottish Government to urgently increase bursary rates for Student Nurses and Midwives in the next academic year. This recommendation is part of the UNISON’s ... Read More

Scottish children cannot wait another 15 years for high quality childcare, says UNISON
Date: Monday 01 June 2015 Responding to another Independent Review of the Scottish Early Learning and Childcare Workforce, UNISON has called time on the Scottish Government, demanding they now act ... Read More

UNISON demands pay uplift for further education staff
Date: Sunday 24 May 2015 UNISON today calls for Angela Constance, Cabinet Secretary for Education, to intervene in national pay negotiations for further education staff, which have all but broken ... Read More

UNISON warning over public services in Stirling and Clacks
Date: Friday 22 May 2015 Council staff have grave concerns about the future of public services in Stirling and Clackmannanshire, says UNISON. UNISON will present a report to senior managers ... Read More

Statement by UNISON Scotland Labour Link on Scottish Labour Leader Jim Murphy
Tuesday 12 May 2015 "The scale of Scottish Labour’s defeat in the General Election result last Thursday indicates the need for a radical change in approach. The problems of Scottish ... Read More

Poorer workers, poorer services: life in ConDem Inverness – UNISON report
Wednesday 6 May 2015 Poorer workers and poorer public services is the reality of life in ConDem Inverness - that is the damning conclusion of a survey by UNISON Scotland ... Read More

UNISON react angrily to Scottish Government claims that they have maintained 1000 extra police officers
Tuesday 5 May 2015 UNISON Scotland condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the Scottish Government putting out a press release celebrating that they have maintained 17,234 police officers, just hours ... Read More

Make work fair for parents and give children decent childhoods, say UNISON and Child Poverty Action Group
Friday 1 May 2015 CPAG, Scotland’s most high profile child poverty charity, and UNISON, Scotland’s biggest trade union have joined together to call on political parties to lay out policies ... Read More

UNISON slams charity for not paying minimum wage back pay
Friday 1 May 2015 UNISON is furious that The Richmond Fellowship Scotland is refusing to pay hundreds of pounds in back pay to staff who have not been paid the national ... Read More

Civil society groups demand ethical public procurement
Thursday 30 April 2015 Press Release on updated 10 Asks for public procurement on behalf of: NIDOS, the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, the Scottish Fair Trade Forum, the STUC, ... Read More

UNISON Scotland launches public services manifesto
UNISON, Scotland’s largest trade union, today launched its manifesto promoting public services for the General Election 2016. The UNISON Public Services Manifesto was launched at UNISON’s General Council at Glasgow ... Read More

Scots overwhelmingly support meat inspectors staying independent, says UNISON
Wednesday 15 April 2015 UNISON Scotland are highlighting an independent survey showing that Scots want slaughterhouses to be independently inspected by government meat safety inspectors. This polling is released when ... Read More

UNISON Glasgow homeless service workers to take all out strike action
Monday 30 March 2015 Seventy workers in Glasgow Council’s Homeless Service will walk out on Tuesday 31 March in a dispute over their pay grade. The workers are all members ... Read More

UNISON welcomes decision in Edinburgh social work contempt of court case
Friday 27 March 2015 UNISON Scotland today welcomed the decision by the Court of Session that the conduct of social workers in Edinburgh City Council did not amount to contempt ... Read More

West Dunbartonshire Council accused of ‘hypocrisy’ over staff nursery closure plan
Thursday 26 March 2015 West Dunbartonshire Council have proposed the closure of their staff nursery at the same time as entering themselves for a ‘top employers for working families award’ ... Read More

Borders Council reverses decision to cut 100 local jobs after UNISON campaign
Thursday 26 March 2015 UNISON, Scotland’s biggest public services union, has welcomed the decision by Scottish Borders Council to rethink their proposal to outsource the Scottish Borders ICT department, saving ... Read More

Opinion Poll: Scottish voters election priorities are public services
Thursday 19 March 2015 UNISON Scotland today commented on a new opinion poll which shows that public services are the number one issue for the majority of Scottish voters. The ... Read More

UNISON Scotland launches Childcare Charter
Monday 16 March 2015 UNISON Scotland today (16 March) launched a Childcare Charter. The charter calls for an expansion of paid parental leave and flexible working for parents; and fair ... Read More

UNISON’s response to the Scottish Government’s Sustainability and Seven Day Services Interim Taskforce Report
Date: Friday 6 March 2015 UNISON welcomes the interim report from the Scottish Government’s Taskforce for Sustainability and Seven Day Services. This taskforce is considering how we provide round the ... Read More

UNISON report says that ‘mental health staff are working under increasing stress’
Date: Wednesday 04 March 2015 More than 8 in 10 (84%) of mental health staff say that their workload has increased, more than 7 in 10 (76%) say they have experienced cuts, ... Read More

UNISON intervention ensures 27 jobs retained at Stornoway call-handling centre
Date: Friday 13 February 2015 UNISON, the public-sector trade union, has helped to ensure the retention of 27 jobs at the Consumer Advice Direct (CAD) call-handling centre in Stornoway after ... Read More

Stop dumping on waste management staff’ says UNISON Scotland
Date: Friday 23 January 2015 UNISON Scotland conducted surveys amongst staff working in waste management across Scotland’s local authorities. The results revealed a workforce under pressure facing increasing targets and ... Read More

Union offers safety advice to staff following hospital sexual assaults
Date: Thursday 15 January 2015 NHS union UNISON Scotland is advising staff to be more vigilant than normal after two separate incidents of sexual assault at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary ... Read More

Scrap plans for new women’s prison, urges UNISON Scotland
Date: Tuesday 13 January 2015 UNISON Scotland, the public services union with many members working in Criminal Justice services has urged the Scottish Government to scrap their plans to build ... Read More

UNISON Scotland urges MSPs to do more on Protecting Public Services
Date: Monday 12 January 2015 UNISON, Scotland’s public service union tells MSPs that Scotland's public services are living through a lost decade as a consequence of austerity economics and we ... Read More

Christmas message from Mike Kirby, UNISON Scottish secretary
Date: 19 December 2014 2014 was a significant year and we should be rightly proud of the role UNISON played in the independence referendum. We led the debate for a ... Read More

NHS porters’ workloads and stress go up as their wages go down – new UNISON Scotland report
Date: Wed 17 December 2014 NHS Porters are under pressure and their workloads are going up while the value of their wages are going down. The report also concludes that ... Read More

Workers in Queensferry and East Kilbride face uncertain Christmas
Date: Fri 12 December 2014 IBM workers who deliver ScottishPower’s outsourced £20m IT services, face an uncertain Christmas after being told that they face further restructuring. Staff are worried that ... Read More

UNISON lambasts council ‘bully-boy’ tactics as councillors threaten closure of mental health charity
Date: Thurs 11 December 2014 UNISON has issued an urgent call to councillors to cease plans to cut a charity’s funding by 40 per cent without any prior consultation. Councillors ... Read More

UNISON statement on First Minister’s programme for Government
Date: Wed 26 November 2014 Mike Kirby, Scottish secretary of UNISON, said "UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union and we welcome the First Minister’s programme for government. There was much ... Read More

UNISON Scotland statement on First Minister’s programme for Government
Date: Wed 26 November 2014 Mike Kirby, Scottish secretary of UNISON, said "UNISON is Scotland’s largest trade union and we welcome the First Minister’s programme for government. There was much ... Read More

UNISON condemns chief constable statement that it is ‘inevitable that more police staff face further jobs cuts next year’
Date: Wed 26 November 2014 UNISON, the trade union for police civilian staff, has condemned the statement by the Chief Constable of Police Scotland that more police staff will be ... Read More

UNISON on The Vale of Leven Hospital Inquiry report
Date: Mon 24 November 2014 Commenting on the long-awaited independent inquiry into patient deaths at the Vale of Leven Hospital which was published today (Monday) UNISON regional organiser, Matt McLaughlin, ... Read More

Under pressure – UNISON survey shows Scotland’s occupational therapists struggling to maintain service
Date: Tue 11 November 2014 A report out today (Tuesday 11 Nov 2014) by UNISON shows that Scotland’s occupational therapists are struggling to maintain the level of service their patients ... Read More

Cuts cost lives’ says UNISON – campaigners lobby Glasgow City Council over savage cuts to mental health charity
Date: Tue 11 November 2014 PHOTO/MEDIA OPPORTUNITY: Wednesday, 12 November at 12.45pm, George Square Staff, service users, community groups and members of the public will gather in George Square tomorrow ... Read More

UNISON Labour Link Scotland backs Katy Clark MP for Scottish Labour Deputy Leader
Date: Sun 2 November 2014 UNISON, Scotland’s largest trade union, has given its backing to Katy Clark MP in the contest for the next Scottish Labour Deputy leader. UNISON Scotland ... Read More

UNISON Scotland Labour Link backs Neil Findlay for Scottish Labour Leader
Date: Sat 1 November 2014 UNISON, Scotland’s largest trade union, has given its backing to Neil Findlay MSP in the contest for the next Scottish Labour leader. This followed a ... Read More

Violence against public service staff has nearly doubled – UNISON Scotland
Date: Fri 24 October 2014 Violence against public service workers in Scotland has increased yet again last year and has nearly doubled over the past eight years. UNISON's Scottish Organiser, ... Read More

Public sector living through ‘lost decade’ – UNISON Scotland
Date: Thu 16 October 2014 In a damning report ‘Austerity economics don’t add up’, released today, UNISON say public sector pay, conditions and morale are at a record low, calling ... Read More

UNISON Scotland suspends strike planned for 21 October after improved offer from employers
Date: Tue 14 October 2014 UNISON Scotland has suspended strike action planned for 21 October and will consult its members on an improved offer put forward by the Scottish employers ... Read More

Working harder but getting poorer is conclusion of new report comparing wages and prices
Date: Mon 13 October 2014 A new report from public services union UNISON - 'The Price of Everything and the Value of Wages' - paints a stark picture of the ... Read More

Large scale investment is needed to reverse Scotland’s housing crisis, warns UNISON
8 October 2014 A survey of Scotland’s housing staff has exposed the reality of frontline staff trying to cope with the huge scale of Scotland’s housing crisis. Our report – ... Read More

UNISON announces a national programme of industrial action in local government
Date: Mon 6 October 2014 UNISON Scotland local government members announced today (Monday 6 October) that they have voted to take industrial action in their recent local government ballot. Douglas ... Read More

Food Bill must prioritise food safety
Date: Wed 1 October 2014 UNISON, the union who represent meat hygiene inspectors and environmental health officers, is calling on MSPs debating the Food (Scotland) Bill tomorrow (Thursday 2 Oct) ... Read More

UNISON pays tribute to Chief Nursing Officer who leaves her post today
Date: Wed 24 September 2014 Commenting on the announcement by the Scottish Government Health Dept that Chief Nursing Officer, Ros Moore is to leave her post, Matt McLaughlin, Lead Organiser ... Read More

Listen to the people and keep public services in public hands, says UNISON
Date: Fri 19 September 2014 A key issue in this independence referendum has been the future of public services. People in Scotland have made it clear they want more not ... Read More

Glasgow City Council under fire over further cuts to care services
Date: Tue 9 September 2014 Trade unionists, community groups and members of the public will gather in George Square later this week to lobby Glasgow City Council over proposed changes ... Read More

Cleaners in public sector are struggling to maintain hygiene, says UNISON
Date: Tues 26 August 2014 A report out today (Tuesday) by UNISON Scotland, Dishing the Dirt, paints a bleak picture of cleaning staff – who are struggling to keep hospitals, ... Read More

Meat hygiene inspectors strike for fair pay
Date: Mon 25 August 2014 Meat hygiene inspectors, vets and support staff are embarking on two days of strike action from tomorrow (Tuesday) in a long-running dispute over pay. Two ... Read More

All workers deserve a fair deal for Commonwealth Games, says UNISON
Date: Fri 18 July 2014 Trade union members in Glasgow’s Sports Centres and Museums are in dispute with their employer Glasgow Life, a company run by Glasgow City Council. The ... Read More

Glasgow Life staff ballot on strike action after Commonwealth talks break down
Date: Monday 30 June 2014 Glasgow Life must stop treating staff as a second class workforce, says UNISON, as it calls for a fair deal for those working during the ... Read More

UNISON warns of a major assault on public services as 60 per cent of cuts are still to come
Date: Wednesday 25 June 2014 UNISON Scotland launched a report today (Wednesday) – The Cuts Don’t Work: The impact of ‘austerity’ cuts on Scotland’s public services – showing what’s really ... Read More

UNISON calls for immediate withdrawal of redundancy notices at Stirling University
Date: Wednesday 18 June 2014 UNISON Scotland has called on Stirling University to remove redundancy notices from more than 50 of its staff. The move is the result of a ... Read More

UNISON celebrates big victory for low paid care workers
Date: Friday 13 June 2014 UNISON welcomes Capability Scotland’s decision to introduce the Scottish Living Wage back dated to 1 April 2014. UNISON Scotland’s recent report Scotland: It’s Time to ... Read More

Deregulation of meat hygiene inspections will result in tragic consequences, warns UNISON
Date: Tuesday 10 June 2014 UNISON, the union which represents meat hygiene inspectors in abattoirs and meat plants, today (Tuesday, 10 June) warned MSPs that any deregulation of meat hygiene ... Read More

North Lanarkshire Council are treating low paid women workers with contempt, says UNISON
Date: Friday 6 June 2014 UNISON, the trade union representing the equal pay claims of low paid women workers in North Lanarkshire, have reacted with utter disbelief to today’s statement ... Read More

UNISON welcomes call for early careers advice for Scotland’s young people
Date: Tuesday 3 June 2014 UNISON response to Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce Final Report UNISON, the union representing careers advisers, has welcomed the Wood Commission’s call for earlier ... Read More

Gradual drip of privatisation has reached epic proportions in Scottish Water, says UNISON
Date: Tuesday 3 June 2014 UNISON, Scotland’s largest public service union, says new figures showing the extent of privatisation in Scottish Water should be a major wake-up call to the ... Read More

Closure of Dumfries police control room is ‘tip of the iceberg’, says UNISON
Date: Tuesday 27 May 2014 UNISON, Scotland's largest union representing police staff, has condemned the closure of Dumfries Police Control Room later this week (Friday) and says communities will suffer ... Read More

‘Pay up now’ – UNISON demands North Lanarkshire council stops stalling on equal pay claims
Date: Friday 23 May 2014 UNISON Branch to take to streets to pressure council into fairness UNISON North Lanarkshire is stepping up the pressure on North Lanarkshire Council in the ... Read More

Proposals to introduce living wage through procurement shows light at the end of tunnel, says UNISON
Date: Tuesday 13 May 2014 UNISON, Scotland’s largest public service union, today (Tuesday) welcomed proposed amendments to the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Bill that would see the living wage introduced for ... Read More

UNISON Scotland calls for Europe of full employment which cares for future generations
Date: Friday 9 May 2014 UNISON Scotland launched its manifesto for the European elections today (Friday 9 May 2014). The trade union in Scotland is calling for policies which end ... Read More

A change in culture to health and safety could save over 20 lives per year, says UNISON Scotland
Date: Friday 25 April 2014 UNISON is marking Workers Memorial Day, which takes place all over the world on 28 April, by calling on UK and Scottish governments to do ... Read More

UNISON welcomes agreement with Police Scotland which addresses key concerns
Date: Thursday 17 April 2014 UNISON Scotland has agreed to cancel the consultative ballot of police staff on whether to take further industrial action up to and including strike action ... Read More

UNISON Scotland supports walk from Glasgow to Liverpool to raise money for the Lola Commons Fund for SiMBA in memory of the 96 who died in Hillsborough
Date: Tuesday 15 April 2014 UNISON Scotland is proud to be a supporter of the Lola Commons Fund and we are particularly pleased to be involved in this fundraising event ... Read More

UNISON members in South Lanarkshire Council continue their campaign for equal pay
Date: Friday 11 April 2014 UNISON Scotland is writing to 6000 UNISON members who work in South Lanarkshire Council to give them another opportunity to make a new claim for ... Read More

Lola Commons Fund at UNISON Scotland health conference
Date: Friday 4 April 2014 Lisa Hague, co-founder of the Lola Commons Fund, will announce a sponsored walk being undertaken by Ian McGovern at today’s UNISON Scotland Health Conference. The ... Read More

UNISON Scotland ballot for potential strike action as industrial relations break down with Police Scotland
Date: Friday 21 March 2014 UNISON Scotland are writing to police staff today (21 March 2014) to tell them that trust between Police Scotland and the all staff trade unions ... Read More

UNISON calls on Scottish Government to invest extra £63 million from Osborne’s budget in home care services
Date: Friday 21 March 2014 UNISON calls on Scottish Government to invest extra £63 million from Osborne’s budget in home care services Scotland’s Finance Minister, John Swinney MSP, confirmed that ... Read More

Renfrewshire Council leader makes commitment to UNISON Ethical Care Charter
Date: Monday 17 March 2014 Renfrewshire Council are leading the way in the commissioning of homecare services with the Leader of the Council committing to supporting the UNISON Ethical Care ... Read More

College workers vote overwhelmingly to return to national bargaining, says UNISON
Date: Monday 17 March 2014 UNISON, the union representing further education workers in Scotland, said its members have voted in favour of a return to national bargaining. Union members were ... Read More

‘An inspiring figure and a true friend’ UNISON Scotland’s tribute to Tony Benn
Date: Friday 14 March 2014 Commenting on the death of Tony Benn UNISON Scottish Secretary, Mike Kirby said: “We have lost a true friend. Tony Benn was always a stalwart ... Read More

Procurement is key to making decent pay the norm, says UNISON
Date: Tuesday 11 March 2014 UNISON Scotland is calling on MSPs to support an amendment to the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Bill which would make paying a living wage an essential ... Read More

UNISON voices concern about closure of Seafield Services, Seafield School of Wellbeing, run by Quarriers
Date: Thursday 6 March 2014 Today (Thursday, 6 March 2014) UNISON commented on the decision by Quarriers Board of Trustees to close Seafield School of Wellbeing in Ardrossan - and ... Read More

Public money does not belong in the hands of tax dodgers, says UNISON
Date: Thursday 20 February 2014 UNISON is calling for an end to tax dodgers winning public contracts ahead of today’s (Thursday) parliamentary debate on the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Bill. In ... Read More

It’s time to care, says UNISON as survey reveals Scotland’s care crisis
Date: Wednesday 19 February 2014 A survey of Scottish homecare workers has exposed the shocking reality of the country’s care services. The majority of workers polled in the UNISON survey ... Read More

‘Keep Glasgow’s older residents safe’ say UNISON members as strike action goes ahead to defend standards and wages
Date: Friday 14 February 2014 UNISON members across Glasgow are embarking on further strike action after discussions with the City Council this week failed to reach a settlement. Members are ... Read More

Local government in Scotland is bearing the brunt of cuts – UNISON
Date: Thursday 13 February 2014 The double whammy of austerity measures and the council tax freeze has left local government in Scotland bearing the brunt of cuts. Local councils across ... Read More

Our libraries have never been under more pressure – UNISON
Date: Friday 7 February 2014 On National Libraries Day (Saturday 8 February) UNISON warns that our libraries have never been under more pressure because of spending cuts. National Libraries Day ... Read More

Pay inequality in Scotland’s universities must end, says UNISON
Date: Monday 3 February 2014 UNISON Scotland is calling for urgent action to be taken to redress the pay balance in universities. The growing inequality in pay in higher education ... Read More

UNISON demonstrates against more police cuts
Date: Thursday 20 January 2014 The Scottish Police Authority (SPA) will officially confirm the closure of Police Force Control Centres in a ‘restructuring’ across Scotland today (Thursday 30 January 2014) ... Read More

Glasgow’s residential care workers embark on further strike action
Date: Monday 27 January 2014 PHOTO / INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITY: 1pm, Tuesday, 28 January, 40 John Street, Glasgow Care workers in Glasgow City Council’s residential homes are embarking on two further ... Read More

Young workers vanishing from the public sector, says UNISON
Date: Tuesday 14 January 2014 Young people are the biggest losers of public service job cuts as figures reveal the number of young workers has fallen by a quarter. Workforce ... Read More

Residential home care workers strike to protect services
Date: Monday 13 January 2014 PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: 12 noon, Tuesday, 14 January, 40 John Street, Glasgow Care workers in Glasgow City Council’s residential homes will go on strike for two ... Read More

Contempt of court ruling on Edinburgh social workers
Date: Monday 16 December 2013 UNISON is calling for an urgent legislative review following a contempt case verdict at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today (Monday) which could have wide-ranging implications for ... Read More

Celebrate classroom assistants day – UNISON
Date: Friday 29 November 2013 UNISON Scotland is calling on parents, students and teachers to support of the vital contribution made by hard-working classroom assistants, as part of a national celebration ... Read More

Audit Scotland report shows workforce takes brunt of spending cuts
Date: Thursday 28 November 2013 Audit Scotland’s report (published today) on the public sector workforce shows that workers are taking the brunt of spending cuts through job losses and real ... Read More

Glasgow’s pupil support staff set for further strike action over imposed healthcare duties
Date: Monday 18 November 2013 NB Picture and interview opportunities available on morning of Tuesday 19 Nov 2013. School support staff will be lobbying Glasgow City Council tomorrow (Tuesday) in ... Read More

Savage and unnecessary cuts will damage East Ayrshire communities, warn unions
Date: Monday 18 November 2013 Trade unions have issued a stark warning to East Ayrshire Council that proposed budget cuts are unnecessary and bad news for communities. The joint trade ... Read More

‘We educate, not medicate’ – school support staff strike again over imposed healthcare tasks
Date: Wednesday 13 November 2013 NB Picture and interview opportunities available on morning of Thursday 14 Nov 2013. More than 400 striking school support staff in Glasgow will take to ... Read More

Police to be taken off beat to do admin tasks says police staffs union
Date: Wednesday 6 November 2013 Police Scotland today announced plans to take police off the beat to do the work of 67 police staff jobs they intend to make redundant ... Read More

‘Speak-out’ survey reveals children and disabled services hanging by a thread, says UNISON Scotland
Date: Wednesday 6 November 2013 A ‘speak-out’ survey of community, voluntary and housing workers has exposed services to the most vulnerable people in society as “hanging by a thread”. The ... Read More

Child welfare must be the priority – school support staff strike over imposed healthcare tasks
Date: Tuesday 5 November 2013 More than 400 school support staff will take to the streets tomorrow (Wednesday) to lobby Glasgow City Council over forced changes to their roles. The ... Read More

Procurement is key to rolling out benefits of living wage across Scotland, says UNISON
Date: Monday 4 November 2013 UNISON has today (Monday) welcomed the rise in the living wage but says it’s vital this is rolled out to the private and voluntary sectors ... Read More

UNISON Police Staff stunned at promotions as cash strapped force announces £139m cuts
Date: Thursday 31 October 2013 Scotland’s cash strapped police service is considering giving over 100 senior officers promotions that will see their pay rise by at least £8000 each to ... Read More

Midnight walk out in Glasgow begins UK higher education shut down
Date: Wednesday 30 October 2013 Picture opportunity - details of local actions across Scotland at end A midnight walk out by security guards at Glasgow Caledonian University will start a ... Read More

Glasgow City Council intransigence forces 1000 pupil support assistants out on strike
Date: Wednesday 30 October 2013 The strike is a last resort action by the city’s pupil support assistants (PSAs) following the forcing of new responsibilities for child healthcare tasks on ... Read More

Hundreds of Glasgow charity care workers face uncertain future
Date: Wednesday 30 October 2013 Hundreds of Glasgow’s charity care workers face having their terms and conditions savaged as a result of spending cuts by the Scottish Government and Glasgow ... Read More

UNISON brands COSLA’s delay claims ‘utter nonsense’
Date: Monday 28 October 2013 UNISON has dismissed COSLA’s delay claims as ‘utter nonsense’ and says the organisation’s decision to rip up its one year pay offer is a kick ... Read More

Toxic cocktail of spending cuts and violence
Date: Friday 25 October 2013 A 'toxic cocktail' of spending cuts and violence against public service workers has resulted in another increase in violent incidents across Scottish councils and NHS ... Read More

Pig abscesses to be minced into sausages and pies
Date: Friday 11 October 2013 The European Parliament has rejected their own Health Committee recommendation and voted to change the regulation on the inspection of pigs in slaughterhouses. The changes ... Read More

Meals for school children and hospital patients must be protected from looming cuts – UNISON
Date: Thursday 10 October 2013 The quality of meals for school children and hospital patients must be protected from further public spending cuts, UNISON said today. The public services union ... Read More

UNISON members step up strike action over ‘savage cuts’ by Stirling Council
Date: Thursday 10 October 2013 UNISON members within Stirling Council are set to step up industrial action after talks with the council’s Chief Executive presented a ‘re-hash’ of the original ... Read More

Police Scotland cutting frontline services and ignoring staff rights
Date: Wednesday 2 October 2013 UNISON Scotland, the union representing staff in the Scottish Police service condemned attack on frontline services proposed in the force’s Public Counter and Traffic Warden ... Read More

UNISON members enjoy success in term-time dispute
Date: Wednesday 25 September 2013 Around 400 UNISON members based in Inverclyde Schools and Nurseries will receive compensation following an agreement between UNISON and Inverclyde Council to change their pay ... Read More

Health and care integration delivered by people not robots
Date: Friday 13 September 2013 UNISON, Scotland's largest public sector union will today argue that if health and care integration is to succeed, it needs to focus more on the ... Read More

UNISON welcomes publication of Procurement Bill
Date: Thursday 12 September 2013 UNISON, Scotland's largest public sector union has welcomed the Procurement Bill being sent to parliament. UNISON has long campaigned for public procurement to be used ... Read More

UNISON comment on Scottish Government pay policy
Date: Wednesday 11 September 2013 Mike Kirby, Scottish Secretary of UNISON the largest union in Scottish public services said: "Mr Swinney says that he will address low pay in the ... Read More

IT workers at Stirling Council to strike next week in ongoing dispute
Date: Tuesday 10 September 2013 UNISON local government workers in Stirling will start selective strike action on Monday (16 Sept) as part of the branch’s ongoing industrial action against draconian ... Read More

Strike over ‘savage cuts’ by Stirling Council
Date: Thurs 22 August 2013 Local government workers in Stirling will begin strike action on Monday (26 August) against ‘savage cuts’ being imposed by their employer. UNISON Stirling Council branch ... Read More

Union project offers personal assistants and support workers training and employment rights advice
Date: Fri 16 August 2013 The public services union UNISON has launched a project in Inverclyde offering networking, advice and support to personal assistants (PAs) and Support Workers who work ... Read More

Unions prepare for industrial action at Stirling Council
Date: Thurs 15 August 2013 UNISON Stirling Council Branch, along with the other trade unions at the local authority, are preparing for industrial action following a rejection of the Council's ... Read More

Scots councils urged to ditch ‘care on the cheap’ 15 minute home visits
Date: Thursday 1 August 2013 UNISON Scotland today hit out at Scottish councils over commissioning 15 minute home care visits to elderly and vulnerable people. A Freedom of Information request ... Read More

Dispute over pay at Citizens Advice Direct goes to ACAS
Date: Tues 23 July 2013 UNISON is tomorrow (Wednesday) taking a dispute over pay cuts of up to 6% at the Citizens Advice telephone service to ACAS. The Scottish telephone ... Read More

Inflation up – Scotland’s local government workers deserve fair pay
Date: Tue 16 July 2013 UNISON Scotland said today that inflation rising to 2.9% is grim news for hard pressed workers struggling to make ends meet. The public services union ... Read More

Social housing is key says UNISON – as Audit Scotland finds ‘failure to meet need’ for homes
Date: Thu 11 July 2013 Housing services union UNISON has called for a massive investment in social housing to meet the shortfall of homes identified in a hard-hitting report out ... Read More

UNISON calls on councillors to back Fair Pay as strike ballot opens
Date: Tue 2 July 2013 UNISON calls on councillors to back Fair Pay as strike ballot opens Local government union UNISON today (Tuesday) emailed Scotland’s councillors asking them to support ... Read More

UNISON wins historic equal pay case worth millions of pounds for members
Date: Wed 26 June 2013 Nearly two thousand women members of UNISON are celebrating a historic equal pay victory today. They have finally demolished the long-running defence by Scottish councils ... Read More

Fair Pay Day of Action for local government workers
Date: Tues 25 June 2013 Unions today (Tuesday) launched a Fair Pay Day supporting Scottish local government workers as they prepare to vote on strike action. Trade unionists on the ... Read More

Strike ballot over plans to axe 155 community care jobs and slash salaries
Date: Mon 24 June 2013 UNISON members employed by Cornerstone Community Care in the West of Scotland are being balloted on industrial action following proposals to cut 155 support workers ... Read More

Careers website ‘no substitute for face-to-face guidance’ – UNISON
Date: Tue 18 June 2013 Presentation of new research: What’s the evidence? Comparing the impact of career websites and other career support’ Tuesday 18 June - Scottish Parliament Members of ... Read More

Palestinian footballer joins UNISON in call for sporting boycott of Israel
Date: Thu 13 June 2013 Mahmoud Sarsak Meeting 12.30pm - Friday 14th June 2013 UNISON, 14 West Campbell Street, GLASGOW G2 6RX Palestinian international footballer Mahmoud Sarsak – recently released ... Read More

UNISON warns social work standards are at risk from austerity cuts
Date: Wed 12 June 2013 Social workers meeting in Glasgow today (Wed) warned that managers and the Scottish Government must do more protect services to the most vulnerable in the ... Read More

UNISON warns of risks from planning and regulation cuts
Date: Wed 12 June 2013 Severe cuts in council planning departments are leading to potential safety risks for the public, reducing the quality of the service delivered and worsening inequalities, ... Read More

UNISON calls for massive investment in social housing
Launch of new housing policy document Making Homes for a Fairer Scotland Housing services union UNISON has today called for a massive investment in social housing to make the homes ... Read More

Hundreds of health workers win backdated maternity leave public holidays – UNISON
Date: Thu 6 June 2013 Women health workers in Scotland are to receive backdated public holidays they were wrongly denied while on maternity leave. NHS mums, including nurses, physiotherapists, cleaners, ... Read More

UNISON calls for massive investment in social housing
Date: Thu 6 June 2013 Launch of new housing policy document Making Homes for a Fairer Scotland Housing services union UNISON has today called for a massive investment in social housing ... Read More

Union announces Scotland wide strike ballot of council staff
Date: Tue 4 June 2013 Local government workers across Scotland are being balloted on strike action, after rejecting a 1% pay offer. UNISON, the public services union, will ballot 75,000 ... Read More

City college praised for successful merger faces possible strike ballot – UNISON
Date: Thu 23 May 2013 UNISON today called for talks at the City of Glasgow College after managers threatened to impose a pay settlement that has been rejected by support ... Read More

Police Custody and Security Officers are fully authorised to take fingerprints and DNA samples – UNISON
Date: Thu 23 May 2013 The union that represents police staff said today that any problems in Tayside around fingerprint and DNA samples are a local issue. George McIrvine, Unison ... Read More

Food safety requires independent regulator says meat inspectors union
Date: Thu 23 May 2013 UNISON warned today that the new Scottish version of the Food Standards Agency must have the powers and resources to safeguard the public and stand ... Read More

Public services paying the price of austerity job cuts
Date: Thu 23 May 2013 UNISON Scotland response to Audit Scotland report on ‘early leavers’ UNISON Scotland has called for an end to the ongoing massive public service job cuts ... Read More

New union project offers personal assistants training and employment rights advice
Date: Wed 22 May 2013 New union project offers personal assistants training and employment rights advice The public services union UNISON has launched a new project offering networking, advice and ... Read More

Stirling Council set to move away from collective bargaining – unions prepare for strike ballot
Date: Fri 17 May 2013 Statement from the joint trade unions at Stirling Council – UNISON, Unite, GMB and UCATT Council set to walk away from negotiations, collective bargaining: It ... Read More

Bumpy roads across Scotland tell the real story of maintenance spending cut by a fifth – UNISON
Date: Fri 17 May 2013 UNISON Scotland response to Accounts Commission report on audit update on roads maintenance: UNISON said today that the key point to emerge from the report ... Read More

Pay freezes are driving down living standards, while the rich get richer – UNISON
Date: Wed 15 May 2013 Public services union UNISON today released a report showing how pay freezes are contributing to sharply declining living standards for workers in vital services. UNISON ... Read More

Council tax freeze is costing public services dear – UNISON
Date: Wed 1 May 2013 Hard-pressed Scots are facing massive increases in charges for vital local services to pay for the Scottish government’s Council Tax freeze, public sector union UNISON ... Read More

UNISON marks International Workers’ Memorial Day with call for safer workplaces
Date: Fri 26 April 2013 UNISON today warned that the appalling toll of death and injuries from the collapsed clothes factory in Bangladesh highlights the vital importance of strong health ... Read More

Women’s equality at work no better than when Scottish Parliament opened in 199
Date: Thu 25 April 2013 UNISON today provided damning evidence to MSPs that major obstacles remain to women achieving equality in the workplace and that low paid women deserve action ... Read More

Purpose first – powers later, UNISON tells Scottish Labour
Date: Fri 19 April 2013 UNISON Scotland, one of Labour’s largest affiliated unions, has told the party its first and main task must be to identify the purpose of greater ... Read More

Involve staff in health and social care integration or watch reform fail
Date: Wed 17 April 2013 UNISON today warned that changes to services for the most vulnerable people must do more to involve staff or watch reform fail. The public services ... Read More

Scottish Health Secretary to speak at UNISON health conference
Date: Thurs 11 April 2013 Alex Neil, Scottish Health Secretary, is a keynote speaker at UNISON Scotland's health conference in Glasgow tomorrow (Friday 12 April). Pay and pensions are key ... Read More

Workers must be central in public service reform, not treated as puppets or pawns
Date: Wed 27 March 2013 UNISON will today (Wed) tell a committee of MSPs that redesigns of public services must not treat workers as pawns to be moved around recklessly, ... Read More

Magnificent effort by public service workers in snow-hit Argyll and Bute, Arran and Dumfries & Galloway
Date: Tue 26 March 2013 UNISON today praised the work of public service staff clearing roads, working to restore power and supporting snowed-in communities hit by Friday’s storm. As engineers ... Read More

UNISON warns Lib Dems – Don’t take health and safety back to dark ages
Date: Fri 25 March 2013 The Coalition Government should abandon measures that would drive a coach and horses through health and safety legislation. That was the message today when UNISON ... Read More

Innovative pensions fund plan for new social housing in Scotland
Date: Mon 25 March 2013 UNISON today launched a proposal to use Scottish council pension funds to invest in much needed affordable social housing. Preliminary discussions with housing associations have ... Read More

Support public water services as a human right for all on World Water Day
Date: Fri 22 March 2013 UNISON today marked World Water Day with a call for water to be a human right and not for sale. The public services union used ... Read More

Proposed college merger cuts are ‘thin end of the wedge’ – UNISON Scotland
Date: Fri 22 March 2013 Scotland’s further education support staff union UNISON and college lecturers’ union EIS today jointly condemned a move to cut 86 jobs in a new merged ... Read More

UNISON Scotland slams Osborne Budget as ‘a broken record of broken hopes’
Date: Wed 20 March 2013 UNISON Scotland leader Mike Kirby has described today's Budget by George Osborne as a "broken record of missed targets and broken hopes" and slammed the ... Read More

UNISON today backs Patient Opinion website for rating NHS care
Date: Tues 19 March 2013 UNISON today endorsed Patient Opinion, a website for rating NHS care. See the BBC Scotland news report by health correspondent Eleanor Bradford. "A website which allows patients to ... Read More

UNISON recommends members reject 1% local government pay offer
Date: Fri 15 March 2013 UNISON Scotland is to recommend that its local government members reject a final pay offer from councils. Branch delegates meeting in Glasgow today (15 March) ... Read More

Trade union membership pays dividends for UNISON members around Scotland
Date: Mon 11 March 2013 UNISON said today that a living wage deal at one of Scotland’s biggest universities is the latest success in the union winning hundreds of thousands ... Read More

Don’t treat Scotland’s colleges and support staff like Cinderella, UNISON tells MSPs
Date: Thu 7 March 2013 • PHOTO OPPORTUNITY EVENT - 1pm outside Parliament - Cinderella will make an appearance with the Ugly Sisters - MEDIA are invited to send cameras ... Read More

Scottish Ministers told time is right to act against tax dodging companies
Date: Thu 7 March 2013 UNISON Scotland will today (Thursday) urge the Scottish Government to respond to overwhelming public outrage about tax dodging companies. The public services union wants Ministers ... Read More

New police service set to fail on Best Value if no progress on modern police teams
Date: Wed 6 March 2013 Scotland’s new police service is set to fall significantly behind England & Wales in best practice for modern policing, failing its Best Value duty. That ... Read More

UNISON to ballot members on local government pay offer
Date: Fri 1 March 2013 UNISON Scotland is to ballot its local government members on a final pay offer from councils. Branch delegates will meet in Glasgow next month (15 ... Read More

UNISON calls for new devolved powers to create a Fairer Scotland
Date: Thu 28 February 2013 UNISON today launched a set of policy proposals calling for fresh powers, including pensions and income tax, to be devolved to Scotland. The union’s ‘Fairer ... Read More

Major cuts in food safety and environmental health are putting the public at risk
Date: Tue 26 February 2013 UNISON Scotland warned today that new figures and staff surveys show cuts to local council environmental health departments and to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) ... Read More

UNISON wins Living Wage for low paid staff at Central Scotland Police
Date: Wed 20 February 2013 UNISON today welcomed news that Central Scotland Police has become the first police force in the UK to be an accredited Living Wage employer. The ... Read More

UNISON General Secretary in Stornoway visit to support case against cuts
Date: Wed 20 February 2013 Dave Prentis, General Secretary of the UK’s largest public sector union, UNISON, will tomorrow (21 February, 2013), join members in Stornoway to add his voice ... Read More

UNISON urges support for library services – National Libraries Day 9 February
Date: Fri 8 February 2013 UNISON today hit out at cuts to library services and urged councillors to defend libraries at the heart of local communities. Tomorrow (Saturday 9 February) ... Read More

Scottish Budget – council services hit hardest – UNISON calls for funding review
Date: Wed 6 February 2013 Public services union UNISON today warned that vital council services are being hit hardest by budget cuts and called for a review of local government ... Read More

Save our colleges, UNISON FE members tell MSPs
Date: Tue 5 February 2013 Scotland’s college support staff union UNISON will today (Tuesday 5 February) give evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Education and Culture Committee on the Post-16 Education ... Read More

UNISON: Government must act on Scots police staff jobs and end confusion
Date: Fri 1 February 2013 UNISON’s new all-Scotland police branch today urged the government and employers to avert disastrous police staff job cuts and to end “the chaos and uncertainty” ... Read More

UNISON demands NHS chiefs stump up millions in unpaid wages
Date: Fri 1 February 2013 NHS union UNISON is demanding that NHS bosses in Greater Glasgow and Clyde pay thousands of NHS workers wages which have not been paid to ... Read More

Union warns on public safety concerns raised in Audit Scotland report
Date: Thu 31 January 2013 UNISON today (Thursday) warned that damaging cuts to trading standards and food safety services in environmental health are putting the public at risk when safety ... Read More

UNISON slams ‘damaging’ Stirling Council plan to cut vital services and jobs
Date: Mon 28 January 2013 Stirling UNISON branch has criticised a decision by the local council to give formal notice of up to 250 redundancies ahead of negotiations over budget plans - ... Read More

UNISON welcomes South Ayrshire equal pay settlement
Date: Wed 23 January 2013 Local government union UNISON is today celebrating a historic equal pay settlement for hundreds of council staff in South Ayrshire. The deal finalised this week ... Read More

UNISON wins pay deal of up to 4% at South Lanarkshire College
Date: Wed 23 January 2013 UNISON members at South Lanarkshire College in East Kilbride have won a landmark pay deal which will see a rise of more than 4% for ... Read More

Carers, celebrities and campaigners rally for learning disability services and day care centres
Date: Tue 22 January 2013 Rally in George Square 12.30pm Wed 23 January Photo and interview opportunities with carers Carers and service users will unite with trade unionists, campaigners and ... Read More

UNISON challenges North Lanarkshire Council over damaging cuts
Date: Tue 15 January 2013 Local government union UNISON today challenged councillors in North Lanarkshire to get round the table for talks about their damaging cuts proposals. The council has ... Read More

Glasgow equal pay tribunal victory for UNISON
Date: Wed 30 January 2013 30UNISON Scotland has welcomed an Employment Appeal Tribunal ruling on equal pay which could improve the chances of low paid workers, mainly women, seeking fair ... Read More

UNISON warns Borders Council against breaking from national pay framework
Date: Wed 9 January 2013 Local government union UNISON today called on Borders Council to step back from imposing an unpopular pay and conditions deal on its workforce. The move would ... Read More

Students being turned away by colleges highlights need for support services
Date: Wed 2 January 2013 UNISON today called on Scottish Education Secretary Mike Russell to guarantee proper staffing for support services in colleges, after figures showed thousands of suitably qualified ... Read More

Challenges ahead for 2013 – A New Year message from Mike Kirby
2012 has been a tough year for our vital public services and our members who work hard to provide them. And 2013 looks as though it will be just as ... Read More

Delivering vital public services through the Christmas period – A message from Mike Kirby
At this time of year, when people take time off for holidays and family time and festivities, thousands of UNISON members will be working and on call – caring for ... Read More

UNISON condemns ‘Swinney Tax’ on NHS workers
UNISON Scotland condemned the “Swinney Tax” on NHS workers today, as the Scottish Government published consultation proposals to increase employee pensions contributions for the second year - with a further ... Read More

UNISON NHS staff welcome a small bit of Xmas cheer
UNISON Scotland welcomed today the decision of the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing to pay the PVG (Protection of Vulnerable Groups) registration fee of £59 for all relevant staff ... Read More

UNISON calls for immediate withdrawal of redundancy notices at Queen Margaret University
UNISON Scotland has called for the Education Secretary to intervene over incompetent redundancy notices issued by bosses at Edinburgh’s Queen Margaret University. The higher education union wants the redundancy notices ... Read More

Job cuts threaten services and make workers sick in Western Isles
UNISON’s Western Isles local government branch has issued a counter-warning over jobs and service cuts following an Audit Scotland alert that staff sickness rates were becoming an area of ‘concern’ ... Read More

North Lanarkshire council must use £73m cuts decision delay to talk with unions
UNISON’s North Lanarkshire branch today welcomed a delay until the new year on a decision on £73m of cuts that would “destroy the social fabric” of the area, but said ... Read More

Scottish police staff are ‘brunt of perverse game of control’- UNISON
Police staff union UNISON has criticised ‘insulting’ comments made by Vic Emery, the chair of the Scottish Police Authority today (Tuesday 27 November) in his dispute with Chief Constable, Stephen ... Read More

Scottish government must now create balanced police service – UNISON
UNISON Scotland today called on the Scottish government to look again at police staffing, as a new report by the Accounts Commission reveals that frontline police officers are backfilling the ... Read More

Treasury confirms VAT bill for single fire and police services
UNISON Scotland has received confirmation from the Treasury that if the single fire and police services are established as proposed by the Scottish Government they will lose the current VAT ... Read More
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