Secretary's Report
The
year of our parliament
Morag Stevenson
on how we are gearing up to relate to the Scottish Parliament and the main
issues for the branch last year.
The impact of the Scottish Parliament has been felt by
the branch generally in positive terms.
The branch has responded to the Parliament’s consultations
on a number of issues. The Commission on Local Government took on board
a number of our points but failed to win a review of local government funding,
something that the branch and UNISON will continue to campaign for.
The branch has members on a number of policy forums and
we have additional input through the affiliated political fund network.
Numerous invitations have been received, and many taken up, to visit MSPs,
see the parliament buildings, and observe debates and committee meetings.
These have to be a sign that the Parliament respects UNISON’s
view and is keen to encourage our participation.
While these developments in our national political structure
are on the positive side, they have demonstrated that not only is the Parliament
closer to us, but also we are closer to the Parliament.
That puts a responsibility on us to build on positive links,
and use our various influences in the best interests of our members.
One constructive way in which this has been done is in
the branch’s increased and proactive use of the media. John Stevenson,
as Communications Officer, has done some sterling work in this area and
deserves praise for his efforts. John will cover the use of the media more
in his report.
Budget cuts
It has been a great disappointment that the Scottish Parliament has not
tackled local government funding. Instead we are faced with yet more severe
cuts, not only this year but in the years to come.
John Mulgrew, Service Conditions Co-ordinator, will report
further on the budget cuts. We must continue to fight for public services
being publicly owned, democratically run and properly resourced.
More for less
Many posts have been lost due to cuts but losses have not, so far, resulted
in compulsory redundancies, due to voluntary severance, retirement, redeployment,
non-filling of vacancies, etc.
These reductions, however, mean that those left in the
workplace are all too often expected to deliver the same service but with
less staff and more stress.
UNISON’s policy is that unfilled vacancies must not
be covered and the branch’s policy on redundancy is that we will ballot
for action, up to and including strike action, if any member is made compulsory
redundant. These are principles we must stick by in these times when so
many of our colleagues jobs are under threat.
We have always warned that ‘a job lost is a service
lost’.
Not only are the Council’s services showing signs
of strain, but the amount of stress cases which branch officers and stewards
are dealing with is on the increase.
Cuts in service delivery, lost posts, threats of privatisation,
review upon review, and the expectation that we should all deliver more
for less, are all factors that have taken their toll.
Best Value
Much of this comes to us under the guise of ‘Best
Value’ reviews. The Council intended to complete these in all sections
and although many have been reviewed, numerous areas have still to be looked
at.
The Council underestimated the work involved in carrying
out such a massive task and had to extend its timetable.
It has been apparent, however, in the areas that have been
reviewed, that there are not always clear comparators for the Council to
use and this has resulted in a ‘cheapest is best’ undertone. Where
private companies have taken over services, there have been problems with
quality, service delivery, health and safety standards and contractors backing
out at the last minute.
UNISON has been campaigning for quality services, directly
provided, democratically accountable and adequately resourced. The branch
must continue to fight for quality services if the ‘cheapest is best’
mentality is to be beaten.
Reviews and Reorganisations
Some major changes have taken place over the last year and our members have
risen to the challenges that inevitably come with change. Part of the Grounds
Maintenance Service was lost to private contract and ended up in a total
fiasco with contractors backing out after winning the contract and it then
being awarded to ‘second best’.
Massive difficulties were experienced by those members
that transferred over to the new employers and these have been reported
through the branch magazine.
Edinburgh Leisure Trust again showed reluctance to meet
the national pay claim. The IT division of Finance is being outsourced,
hived off to the private sector.
Benefits action
The review of grading structure for Benefits Officers in Finance resulted
in about 120 members taking strike action in the summer.
A good result was obtained after some three months of action
and this was due to the strength of feeling and solid support demonstrated
by all affected members.
Our full time officer, Bill McAllister, the Service Conditions
Co-ordinator, John Mulgrew, other branch officers, the branch staff, Finance
stewards and, especially, the members themselves involved in the action,
should be congratulated not only on the outcome but also on the good-spirited
way in which the action was conducted.
Branch Organisation
The branch has continued to look at its structures, systems and service
delivery to members throughout the year. It has been difficult to find time
for this but the lack of quorate meetings, large pockets of members in the
Council who are without a steward and the need to tighten up service delivery
in some areas have shown this part of our work to be absolutely necessary.
There is work to be done on the branch’s distribution
systems. It would be useful if more members would agree to come forward
as ‘contacts’, eg. those willing to have magazines, and other
branch communications, sent to them in one bundle, which they could then
distribute to other members in their workplace.
Stewards
Stewards do a great job covering sections of the membership, distributing
notices, keeping members informed and consulting with members on behalf
of the branch.
This helps to reduce the workload so that senior branch
officers, dept conveners and senior stewards can get on with the job of
negotiating better conditions, and formally representing members.
Any member who would consider becoming a steward should
contact us at the branch office. Training is provided, and the job does
not have to be huge or too time-consuming. The advantage of a local steward
is often that difficulties are sorted before formal procedures are necessary.
There are areas of service which the branch could improve,
such as links with the Scottish and national union network, eg. regional
courses, schemes of benefits for members, etc
To provide a more efficient and effective service to members,
the branch needs to concentrate on developing its organisation, bringing
up membership levels in areas where organisation is lacking - appoint stewards
to bridge gaps and build links with other parts of the union machinery,
but we can only achieve this with greater participation by members, whether
that’s attending a departmental meeting, or becoming a steward.
National Perspective
Single status began implementation with last year’s pay settlement.
Douglas Black has led the Scottish Staff Side and should be congratulated
for seeing us through what sometimes felt like a minefield.
The branch continues to contribute to setting national
and Scottish policy at conferences, and through the service group structure,
and had full delegations at all self organised conferences as well as retired
members and youth conferences.
As one of the biggest branches in the country, we rightly
play a lead role in Scottish and national affairs.
Bill Heeps has played a key role on the National Executive.
Bill has recently retired and we would like to express out gratitude to
Bill for the many years he has given to building the union we know today
and take this opportunity to offer Bill our very best wishes for a long
and happy retirement.
Douglas Black has chaired the Scottish Local Government
Service Group, leading the Staff Side through what has probably been its
most challenging year since UNISON’s inception. Wattie Weir and Tracy
Gilbert also sit on the Staff Side.
Morag Stevenson and George Lee were elected to the Scottish
Local Government Service Group and Terry O’Donnell, Wattie Weir, Tracy
Gilbert and Morag Stevenson were on the Local Government Forum. Steve McCullough,
chairs the Scottish Voluntary Sector Committee.
John Stevenson chairs the Scottish Communications &
Campaigning Committee, edits the Scottish activists’ bulletin Scotland
inUNISON and the website, and was again a delegate to the STUC. Morag Stevenson
is also a member of the Committee.
John Ross and Morag Stevenson sit on the Scottish Committee,
Danny Currie is on the Health & Safety Committee and Natalie Robertson
and Morag Stevenson are on the Women’s Committee. Natalie and Tracy
Gilbert were delegates to the Women’s STUC.
Linda Jackson is Co-Convener for the Scottish Lesbian &
Gay Committee. Alex Thomson is on the Scottish Disabled Members Committee.
Branch Premises
The staff and officers are now settled into our premises at 23 George IV
Bridge. We continue to look for other premises with disabled access.
Health and safety issues in settling in have been inevitable
but have been addressed by staff and officers based at the premises meeting
on a regular basis and through discussions with staff union representatives.
Officers and staff have also worked well together to introduce
new systems to the office, particularly on the communications side. Our
thanks to John Stevenson in particular, and also to the staff for their
input to a smooth change over to new computing and communications systems.
A number of internal repairs and maintenance details have
been dealt with and our thanks for assistance in this area goes to George
Lee, John Stevenson, Wattie Weir and Terry O’Donnell.
Accommodation in the city in general has been difficult
and obtaining premises for branch meetings has been near impossible. We
managed to get a venue for a branch meeting in the autumn but unfortunately,
due to the quorum not being achieved, the meeting had to be abandoned.
Branch Officers
Branch Officers have again had a massive workload. This is partly due to
the many problems created for members due to reviews and the stresses and
strains that come hand in hand with reducing services.
However, a lack of stewards in some workplaces has meant
that service conditions team members have had to take on large grievance
and disciplinary workloads where these would really be better dealt with
by workplace stewards.
We would like to thank, in particular, John Mulgrew as
Co-ordinator, together with the Conveners, John Ross, George Lee, Wattie
Weir, and other branch officers, who have worked long days and come in many
weekends, to meet deadlines, and just get the job done.
People
The branch congratulated George Lee (Manual Service Conditions Convener)
and Nicky McDougall (branch staff) on the birth of their baby girl, Chloe,
last February. Another celebration was that for Eileen Thomson’s baby
girl, Rachel, born in September.
The death of Retired Members Secretary, Bert Laver, last
February came as a sad blow to retired members and to many branch activists
and members who knew him and greatly respected him.
I have been on sick leave since October and would like
to thank the senior branch officers and Steve Weddell, Branch Administrator,
for taking on a large proportion on my duties during this period. Their
assistance, in particular that of Douglas Black, John Stevenson, and John
Ross, has been invaluable.
Thanks also to the branch support staff, and our regional
officer, Bill McAllister.
The assistance, support, and friendship shown has been much appreciated.
Morag Stevenson |
