Branch
gears up for action against £10million in cuts
As this issue goes to print, we are in
the run up to an Emergency Branch Meeting called to tackle
the problems of at least £10m in spending cuts in the City
of Edinburgh Council.
Pressure brings re-think on job evaluation
chaos
Despite the urgent need for a fair
and transparent grading system, the council now says it
will not be implemented until July 2008.
Pensions ballot by Christmas with
progress on new scheme
Pension talks are still going on but
it is hoped to move to a ballot later in the year.
Brakes put on redundancies at Usher
Hall
Following hard negotiation and an overwhelming
'yes' vote in a ballot, the threat of redundancies has been
lifted at the Usher Hall.
Consultation starts on 2008 pay claim
UNISON Scotland's Local Government
Committee has now issued timescales for their Pay Consultation
talks for the creation of a pay claim linked to 1 April
2008.
Equal pay campaign gains momentum
The delay in getting job evaluation
up and running will affect members who are pursuing equal
pay claims against the Council. Many members will have 'secondary'
claims over and above their existing claim.
Changes to conditions
The delay in the Pay and Grading negotiations
will result in discussions on overtime rates, shift allowances,
and so on, is being delayed along with the new pay and grading
structure.
Local income tax jobs concern
The obvious impact of a local income
tax (actually a national one under SNP plans) would be in
the council's Revenue and Benefits Sector and the Lothian
Valuation Joint Board where it would be highly likely to
result in redundancies. But there are more effects on jobs
and services from a £750 million hole in finances.
In Brief
Forth Road Bridge, Colleges, Overtime,
Regrading rights, District Court move.
Edinburgh housing victory leads
the way
The rejection by Edinburgh council
house tenants of housing stock transfer is having an effect
on changing national housing policy.
Building the 'green' workplace
The rejection by Edinburgh council
house tenants of housing stock transfer is having an effect
on changing national housing policy.
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UNISON NATIONAL CONFERENCE 2007 REPORTS
Edinburgh's major profile at UNISON
Conferences
Edinburgh had a key role on many issues
at this year's National and Local Government Conferences
and these are covered here. More details on all the major
debates are on the UNISON Scotland and UNISON UK websites.
Asylum guidance for social work
staff across UK
Local Government Conference backed
Scotland's call for guidance for UNISON members across the
UK who work with asylum seekers, based on the Scottish guide,
"child's welfare paramount?"
Shared services jobs warning
The temptation to see shared services
- where councils or other organisations join up to provide
local service - as the solution to all funding problems
was slammed by the Local Government Conference.
Conference backs Edinburgh call
to campaign for 'Access to Work'
Conference threw its weight behind
the Access to Work scheme for disabled people. With Edinburgh's
amendment, it pledged to campaign against the privatisation
of employment services which would have a serious detrimental
impact on disabled people.
Trident threat to peace - and public
services
UNISON's National Conference backed
Edinbugh's motion to reaffirm the union's campaign to oppose
Trident replacement, warning that the billions of pounds
it would cost to replace the missile would mean huge cuts
in public services.
No change to subs as Edinburgh raises
overtime problem
Conference rejected a rule change that
would have changed subscription rates just a few years after
they were last reviewed.
UNISON says no to EU privatisation
threat
Edinburgh had a major input to the
debate as the union agreed a campaign amongst members against
any attempts to revive the EU constitution and pledged to
fight attempts to privatise health and social services.
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Features
BLINDCRAFT AWAKENS FROM IT'S SLUMBER
If you are a council employee you
get a discount at Blindcraft! and UNISON are currently in
discussion on a discount scheme for our members - so do
support this community based organisation and buy your bed
from them!
A little known benefit
Steve McDonald gives the low down
on Disability Living Allowance.
Community & voluntary sector
The branch are in discussion with
UNISON Scotland on how they can help in revitalising organisation
in the community & voluntary sector.
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