UNISON City of Edinburgh Branch News

05 December 2014
UNISON response to Edinburgh cuts - government must put cash in
As Edinburgh fights to find £67 million in cuts on top of almost £200 million in recent years, UNISON’s Edinburgh Branch is calling on the Scottish Government to put cash in now ‘before local services disappear for ever’.

24 November 2014: Bhopal Commemoration - 30 years on. Still No Justice for the victims. Wed 3 Dec Greyfriars Kirkyard Memorial 5.45 for 6.00pm | Updates from UNISON delegation

12 November 2014:
Holiday pay claims important update - 3 month rule

5 November 2014:
Vote YES to keep your union's voice: UNISON's unique political fund choice

5 November 2014:
UNISON Edinburgh Members' Benefits Day. Save up to £250 a year. Free Prize Draw. Waverley Court Courtyard 14 November

4 November 2014:
Consultative Ballot on LG Pay Scotland - Members vote to accept

3 November 2014
Holiday pay claims important update: Has your pay changed? Click here for urgent and important news..

Wednesday 22nd October 2014 is National Inspection Day. Please contact your Safety Rep if your workplace needs an inspection. Download a poster.

17 October 2014:
Why we are being balloted again. PLEASE VOTE! New branch briefing on employer's proposals. Hold workplace meetings now.

29 September 2014
Members vote YES for action in pay ballot by 53.5% to 46.5%.

11 September 2014
Ballot now open: Use your vote for fair pay. Click here for UNISON News special.

11 September 2014
UNISON agrees death benefit increase for council staff

5 September 2014
New Edinburgh College job evaluation update on Edinburgh College pages

2 September 2014
Check the blog today for submissions to council after 10.00 on Pre-Retirement Days and Qatar vist.

27 August 2014
Briefing for Care Home Members: 12 Hour Rotas 90 days notice

27 August 2014
New Edinburgh College job evaluation update on Edinburgh College pages

25 August 2014
NORMAL PAY FOR HOLIDAY CLAIMS. CHECK YOUR PAYSLIP NOW! Click here for more info. You MAY have a claim.

8 August 2014
Job evaluation members' briefings Edinburgh College
Members' briefings on job evaluation will be held in Edinburgh College from Monday 11 August 2014 (see in college for details). UNISON has produced a briefing which is going out today 8 August.

5 August 2014
UNISON urges Edinburgh council to keep local people’s say over care services
UNISON will urge Edinburgh council to stick to its joint plan with the NHS for integrating health and social care services at today’s Corporate Policy and Strategy Committee (Tuesday 5 August 2014 10am City Chambers).

1 August 2014
Electronic monitoring ditched after union campaign
The council has withdrawn plans for electronic monitoring of the home care workforce and agreed to sit down with the union to jointly look at constructive ways of monitoring and improving Home Care and Re-ablement services.

17 July 2014
NORMAL PAY FOR HOLIDAY CLAIMS. Click here for details of ECJ ruling and the action UNISON is taking - also if you think you have a claim.

8 July 2014
Pay consultative ballot: Members vote 65% to 35% for industrial action ballot. More details on UNISON Scotland site.

25 June 2014
UNISON warns of a major assault on public services as 60 per cent of cuts are still to come

23 June 2014
Reports from National Conference | Local Government Conference

3 May 2014
May Day rally report: "Unions must give hope"

1 May 2014
Branch celebrates anniversary of Miners' strike and Nursery Nurses' strike

19 April 2014
International Workers' Memorial Day 28 April. Click for details

28 February 2014
New officers elected at AGM. See contacts page.

19 February 2014
It's time to care, says UNISON as survey reveals Scotland's care crisis

19 February 2014
Worried about winter fuel bills? UNISON Winter Fuel Grant. Help when you need it. Apply before 28 February

12 February 2104: Lobby against Council cuts

6 February 2014: 'Breakthrough' reported in Roadworkers' talks

5 February 2014: £36 million more cuts! Lobby the Council Budget Meeting 13 February 08.30

31 January 2014: Lobby against Council Cuts Thurs 13 Feb 08.30 - 09.30 City Chambers, High Street, Edinburgh

30 January 2014: URGENT ADVICE TO MEMBERS - ROAD SERVICES SUMMER/ WINTER ROTA

12 January 2014: Edinburgh Council Budget 2014 - Trade Union Staff Side Response

31 December 2013: New Year message: Rarely have we needed our union more than now.

16 December 2013: Contempt of court ruling on Edinburgh social workers – UNISON response

31 October: UNISON welcomes Council decision to pay for PVGs - 'great success for unions'

31 October: HIGHER EDUCATION STRIKE RALLY. A UNISON, UCU and Unite rally will take place at Bristo Square, Edinburgh today (31 October) from 12.00 - 13.00. Get along and support our colleagues if you can .

31 October 2013: PAY: WE NEED YOUR VIEWS. Should UNISON ignore the 1% pay imposition for 2014 and submit a claim anyway - or should the union build for 2015 instead?

26 October 2013: CoSLA pay statement 'nonsense'. They imposed a new offer after UNISON members accepted a one year deal. Unite union broke ranks... Click here for more details

11 October 2013 UNISON has ‘grave concerns’ over Edinburgh budget cuts

7 October: Edinburgh welcomes Denis Goldberg to the Edinburgh World Justice Festival 12 October

30 September: Edinburgh Joins 50,000 strong Manchester NHS demo

13 Aug: Pay ballot narrowly rejects action

13 Aug: UNISON deplores SDL festival march (on the blog)

17 July 2013 UNISON statement on Edinburgh Chief Exec's second job

June 2013: Conf 2013: Andy Barnett calls for support for budget scrutiny

What kind of Scotland do we want to see? A Fairer Scotland

See updates on The Happy Lands after a great screening in Edinburgh

28 April 2013 Workers Memorial Day Report

31 December 2012: Proud of achievements and ready for challenges of 2013 New Year Message from Branch President

29 November 2012: No charges against Property Conservation staff. The Crown Office has confirmed that: "There will be no criminal charges in respect of allegations of fraud involving the property conservation department of the council". Please ensure colleagues, friends and family are aware of this and show support for our colleagues who are are still being wrongly hounded by the press.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-20465642

8 November 2012: UNISON WELCOMES EDINBURGH LIVING WAGE
UNISON has welcomed Edinburgh council’s intention to pay a minimum ‘living wage’ of £7.50 an hour to its lowest paid council workers from January.

26 Oct 2012: UNISON wins Edinburgh equal pay deal
UNISON has won an equal pay deal for thousands of council staff in Edinburgh. The union today agreed a settlement with the City of Edinburgh Council after a long-running battle to secure equal pay claims by up to three thousand workers

04 Sept 2012: Consultation on the Integration of Health and Social Care Services UNISON City of Edinburgh Response

18 August 2012: Capital cities join to back public services during festival'A Tale of Two Barnets' film comes to Edinburgh

28 June 2012: Police charges NOT related to Statutory Repair Notices: UNISON statement

27 June 2012: Fair Pay Day - Do the Quiz and Win an Android Tablet

14 June 2012: UNISON calls for urgent action to boost council street cleansing services STV website

11 May 2012: UNISON welcomes Edinburgh Labour and SNP coalition pledges

9 Feb 2012: Edinburgh Budget: Services and living wage best way to help local economy UNISON has called on today s Edinburgh Council meeting to protect services and pay a living wage to help boost the local economy out of recession.

9 Feb 2012: Sickness absence update

24 Jan 2012: UNISON wins more time to put case against sickness absence policy At today's Policy and Strategy Committee, councillors voted to take the issue to full council on 2 Feb and Branch Secretary has called for meeting with Council Administration

22 Jan 2012: IMPORTANT UPDATE ON MANAGING ATTENDANCE AT WORK (SICKNESS ABSENCE)

19 Jan 2012: Edinburgh Council dumps privatisation - Our City's Not For Sale UNISON Scotland has welcomed the decision by Edinburgh City Council to support in-house bids for vital city services instead of privatising them

10 January 2012 :Council abandons equal pay appeal
The path to justice and compensation has been cleared for hundreds of UNISON members today as Edinburgh City Council abandoned its defence of long running equal pay claims for ex APT&C staff.

31 Dec 2011: Look back with pride and forward with confidence - message to members from Branch President

10 November: Letters: Evening News: Public need the facts for debate, not propaganda

25 October: Lib Dems and SNP posted missing as public meeting calls for halt to privatisation
A packed public meeting called by UNISON at Edinburgh University last night called for a halt to massive privatisation and poured scorn on the council administration s failure to consult the public 25 Oct:

John Ross: John Ross passed away in hospital on Saturday 22 October 2011. He had been a senior activist since the branch's inception and for years before that in the old Edinburgh District Branch of NALGO. He had been Scottish vice-convener of NALGO and he had also been a Lothian Region and East Lothian Labour councillor.

A Future That Works Rally Glasgow Oct 20 - Reports and pics

21 October: TAXPAYERS WILL PAY FOR EDINBURGH PRIVATISATION GAMBLE UNISON has condemned Edinburgh council for gambling with jobs and services as it sets out plans today to sell off the city s essential cleansing, waste and award winning parks services. The union has also condemned the Council s refusal to publish its last minute Mori poll into the public's views.

National Health & Safety Inspection Day 2012
Your union safety reps will be carrying out a health and safety inspection of workplaces on 24 October.

15 October: Edinburgh Council censors critical report as UNISON launches privatisation pledge
In response UNISON has launched a Privatisation Pledge - the union will be asking elected politicians to oppose privatisation of services until there has been full public consultation and proper scrutiny

Subs: Click here for forms if your subscriptions are wrong after the Council's yearly review

Backcare Awareness Week: 8-12 October 2012

Let's Keep Society’s Safety Net – PUBLIC MEETING Friday 7th September 2012 Portobello Town Hall Edinburgh Anti Cuts Alliance

Council coalition: Branch welcomes commitments on living wage, jobs and partnership

Got an Equal Pay Claim lodged? Check here for Frequently Asked Questions.

Celebrating Our City's Not For Sale - May Day Rally report: UNISON's John Stevenson urges new Council to work with unions and communities to protect services and jobs. "Recession is not an accident. It is not unavoidable. It is created by the politics of greed."

New Branch Magazine: Decision time for sickness absenceThe reality of sickness absence - shocking survey findings. Nearly half of public sector workers polled in a recent UNISON Scotland survey said sickness absence policies encourage staff to turn up ill or injured at work - UNISON Scotland website.

UNISON condemns councillor's attack on union reps
16 March 2012: UNISON has condemned attacks on UNISON reps at the City of Edinburgh Council meeting on 15 March.

Libraries under threat: Public meeting 5 March (flyer pdf)

EQUAL PAY: Equal Pay Deadline for historic APT&C claims is 5 MARCH 2012 Click here for more important details and FAQs

24 Jan: UNISON wins more time to put case against sickness absence policy: Issue to go to full council on 2 February

22 Jan: IMPORTANT UPDATE ON MANAGING ATTENDANCE AT WORK (SICKNESS ABSENCE) Click here for a briefing and advice

19 Jan: Edinburgh dumps privatisation plans: "This is the best outcome we could have got - following the victory in November for keeping Environmental Services public, and the recent abandonment of the ruling group's plans to privatise Corporate and Transactional Services, says John Stevenson. 10 January

Council abandons equal pay appeal
The path to justice and compensation has been cleared for hundreds of UNISON members today as Edinburgh City Council abandoned its defence of long running equal pay claims for ex APT&C staff. read more>>

Look back with pride and forward with confidence - New Year message to members from Branch President.

Pensions March in Royal Mile from Joel Venet See video here

Rodney Bickerstaffe tells 10,000 strong Edinburgh Rally "You have a legal right and a moral duty to stand up to bullies and diktat" See video of full speech on facebook

Photos from Edinburgh on strike day here and picasa

Thanks

* 30 November strike day: BBC poll reports strong support for strike: See updates on the UNISON Scotland Blog:
* Strike Hardship Fund: Click here to download a form. All applications dealt with in strictest confidence.

Pensions action updates and FAQs
March and Rally 30 November Strike Day. 11.30, Johnston Terrace, marching to Scottish Parliament
PLUS: Off sick just three times in three years and you could be sacked?

PRIVATISATION: ACT NOW!
Public Meeting 7pm Mon 24 October, Appleton Tower, Edinburgh University
Lobby the Council: 08.30-10.00 Thurs 27 October, City Chambers, High Street

20 September 2011: Suspended staff statement

10 Sept: Edinburgh United
The branch banner joined a march and rally today by Unite Againt Fascism, trade unions, students, faith groups, political parties and politicians which dwarfed a static demonstration by the so-called Scottish Defence League and other far right group Pics..>>

We've moved! From 26 August 2011 UNISON City of Edinburgh Branch has moved to 10 Infirmary Street, Edinburgh EH1 1LT Phone: 0131 558 7488 Fax: 0131 558 7041 Click here for details.

14 August 2011: Edinburgh citizens to get 'long overdue' chance to quiz politicians on privatisation: Edinburgh citizens will get a 'long overdue' chance to quiz politicians about the council's privatisation plans at a public meeting called by unions on Monday 15 August.

1 August 2011: Edinburgh privatisation 'worse than the trams' say unions as communities take action Unions have warned that the fall-out from Edinburgh council's £1billion privatisation plans could be 'worse than the trams', as citizens take things into their own hands by organising public meetings across the city to demand answers from the council.

28 June 2011: Edinburgh must delay privatisation decision until public have their say: A packed public consultation organised by UNISON last night (27 June) heard calls for Edinburgh's Lib Dem/ SNP council to delay its £1 billion privatisation plans until the public is properly consulted.

16 May 2011: Suspended staff statement As a trade union we do not comment on the details of disciplinary matters but such has been the publicity created by the recent suspensions in a council department (Seven more suspended in fraud probe, News, May 11), we feel there is a need to set some of the record straight

Edinburgh joins thousands in London
to say NO to cuts:
Report, MORE pictures and links to UNISON UK live updates

8 March 2011: Save Edinburgh's Jobless Services Campaign takes the message to Holyrood: 'Save services that help jobless into work'

19 Feb 2011: Cuts debate (and tourist tax) goes global

MayDay March and Rally 7 May, Couldn't make it to London on 26 March? Then you had another chance to show your opposition to cuts in services and jobs: Organised by Edinburgh People's Festival. Click here for video and pics of the March and Rally.

Unions back temperature survey at Waverley Court and Chesser House See Health and Safety Pages for details

International Workers Memorial Day Edinburgh 28 April 2011 The Edinburgh event took place at 12 O'clock on 28 April 2011 at the Memorial Tree, West Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh. Click here for photos and speech by Branch President

Ayr 2011 Reports on all the UNISON speakers

Edinburgh motions on 26 March Rally - What next?, Stop the Cuts and UAF passed by Scottish Council 16 April

UNISON launches safety guide for social workers: The new guide – Keeping Safe in the Workplace – aims to help social workers recognise when they are becoming overloaded at work and to seek support from their employers, trade union or professional association when needed.>>more

Attack on Our Pensions: Government will use Hutton report to raid our pensions
Click here for full details

8 March 2011: Save Edinburgh's Jobless Services Campaign takes the message to Holyrood: 'Save services that help jobless into work' Update: Campaign success staves off cuts - Click here for press release

Cuts debate (and tourist tax) goes global
Evening News opinion piece and over 150 google hits for branch call to save services 19 Feb 2011 >>more..

11 Feb 2011: UNISON says fight goes on after Blindcraft closure More than 200 years of emloyment opportunities for people with disabilities has ended with the closure of Blindcraft in Edinburgh

10 Feb 2011: ABANDON PRIVATISATION AND SAVE SERVICES, UNISON TELLS EDINBURGH COUNCIL ON BUDGET DAY Members of UNISON's Edinburgh branch to urge the council to protect front line services, avoid compulsory redundancies and abandon 'wasteful' privatisation plans.

10 Feb: 17.15: Edinburgh budget goes through despite protests
The Edinburgh Lib Dem/ SNP budget, threatening 1,200 jobs, has been voted through on the casting vote of the Lord Provost. Labour's alternative budget which would have avoided compulsory redundancies, protected services to the most vulnerable and set a living wage of at least £7.15 for the lowest paid, was beaten. More to follow on blog

If the need hasn't gone away, why should the services? Lobby against the cuts: Thurs 10 February City Chambers, High Street.

Click here for the Branch's briefing for councillors.

7 Feb 2011: UNISON to meet with Joint Trade Unions to discuss a pay claim to tackle low pay
The proposed claim, for a single year, would focus on a flat rate to benefit lower paid workers and would press for employers to introduce a Living Wage. Click here for more details on UNISON Scotland

15 December 2010: UNISON TO CHALLENGE EDINBURGH COUNCIL ON CUTS AND NEW DAMNING EVIDENCE ON PRIVATISATION PLANS UNISON will call for an immediate halt to privatisation at Edinburgh City Council at a lobby of the Council tomorrow (16th December) after it was revealed that two of the private bidders had not revealed criminal convictions arising from fatal workplace accidents.

16 November 2010: UNISON VOWS TO FIGHT CLOSURE OF BLINDCRAFT UNISON and the other trades unions at Blindcraft have vowed to fight the closure of its renowned beds factory in Edinburgh as they join with workers to lobby the City of Edinburgh Council meeting on 18 November. more>>

21 October 2010: Unions' fury as Edinburgh Council reneges on pay protection promise The joint unions representing Edinburgh Council staff have condemned the Council for reneging on its promises to staff about three-year pay protection if they lost out under ‘Modernising Pay’. more>>

30 September 2010: Council must listen to public on saving services
With the revelation in today's Evening News that 7 out of 10 of Edinburgh residents would rather pay more in tax than lose services, UNISON has called on the Council to listen to the public properly and abandon the 'fixed' consultation. more>>

14 September 2010: EDINBURGH CUTS SAVAGE AND UNNECESSARY has slammed cuts to be announced by the City Council as 'savage and unnecessary'. The union has also criticised the release of details to the press before unions and the workers whose jobs are affected are told.

18 August 2010: BUDGET CUTS – UNISON STATEMENT
UNISON has expressed its anger at the City of Edinburgh Council’s announcement today to cut a further 16 million with 300 jobs to go. It has called for an emergency meeting with the council today.

29 July 2010: Selling Edinburgh off will come at great cost to us all
Letter in Evening News 29/7/10

24 June 2010:"You cannot hide from the responsibility for the disaster privatisation will bring"
Branch Officers told councillors on 24 June that they 'cannot hide from the responsibility for the disaster privatisation will bring', as they outlined UNISON's concerns about plans to move to the next stage of the process to outsource up to 3,500 jobs.

25 March 2010: Threatened Staff Win UK Award
If It Ain’t Broke – Don’t Fix It: Staff at the City of Edinburgh Council, who face wholesale privatisation, have just received a UK award for delivering efficiencies that are unrivalled across the UK.

24 March 2010: 'Our City's Not For Sale' campaign launched

5 March 2010: GMB ballot joint statement: (5/3/10) As there are significant factual inaccuracies within the GMB's communication, the Council, UNISON and Unite the Union have decided to take the unusual step of issuing this joint Modernising Pay update to all Council staff ....more>>

10 Feb 2010: No council worker gambled millions on the stock exchange. Why should they have to pay the price of cuts in Edinburgh? - UNISON

3 Feb 2010: Care tender fiasco shows need to halt outsourcing plans till Council can justify figures - UNISON

16 Jan 2010: UNISON condemns redundancy and reduced hours plan as Council faces biggest cuts ever

6 Jan 2010: UNISON calls for real talks as council serves notice on 'Modernising Pay'

2009

17 Dec 09: Unions urge Edinburgh Council to save local economy from unprecedented cuts

7 Dec 09: UNISON mounts funeral procession for lost Community Learning posts

23 Nov 09: Work together to save services or face biggest dispute Edinburgh has ever seen

1 Nov 09: 'Modernising Pay': Branch rejects proposals

1 Oct 09: Cuts in home carers' pay will end up as profit for private care directors - Boyack.

7 Sept 09: Dispute lodged as Council tears up agreements and docks members' wages

Council plans 'fail to meet equality criteria': UNISON is taking further advice as specialist reports suggest 'Modernising Pay' will not deliver on equality >>more

9 June 2009: UNISON slams Edinburgh Council's attack on low paid workers

3 June 2009: Unions react angrily to Edinburgh 'back to the future' threat of cuts and privatisation

1 June 2009: Telford UNISON members vote to fight job cuts as college bosses get big rises

1 May 2009: MayDay Address: Night for Gaza – Newtongrange Miners Club 1 May 2009

1 Feb 09: UNISON slams press reports on adoption case: UNISON slams press attack on social work staff and urges members and public to keep 'open mind' on 'unfair' adoption reports because confidentiality rules means those attacked cannot respond.

2008

30 Nov: Branch thanks members as council set to pay out back money before Christmas

11 Nov: Edinburgh home help takes equal pay lawyer to court:

04 Sept: Edinburgh's social work managers call for action against 'unsafe' cuts

03 Sept: Union disbelief as Edinburgh replaces child protection jobs with finance managers

25 Aug: UNISON slams cuts in Edinburgh's childrens services

20 Aug: Action will go on for fair pay, Dave Prentis tells Edinburgh pickets

29 July: Members call for 'unsafe' Social Work cuts to be exposed and warn action inevitable if staff and clients not protected

28 July 08: Edinburgh Children's Social Work risks meltdown warns UNISON

20 May 08: Single Status talks - Update and Joint Trade Union Briefing

9 May 2008: BRANCH CONSULTATION REJECTS PAY OFFER but "disappointing number of members responding"

30 April 08: Crunch talks for single status Talks expected to bring the long saga of Single Status negotiations to a head, will start on 6 May 2008

28 April: EQUAL PAY COMPENSATION OFFERS: Click here for more details

21 April: HAVE YOUR SAY ON PAY! "The union is recommending rejection of the 2.5% three year offer. We will be consulting via stewards and meetings as to whether you accept or reject the offer. Or you can respond here online before 9 May"

11 April 08: Social Work Inspection Edinburgh - Initial UNISON Response: Resources are the key to decent services.

9 April 08: Pay Offer Rejected "Negotiators managed improve the offer from 2.2%, then to 2.3% and now to 2.5%. But 2.5% in each of the next three years is still not good enough."

20 March 08: UNISON response to Children & Families Organisational Review "The union does not believe that an exercise so strongly driven by the need to make cuts can arrive at best considered decisions about service delivery and meeting the needs of children and families.

19 Feb 2008: Pay Offer Rejected "It doesn't approach the current rate of inflation, let alone begin to catch up the loss staff have suffered over recent years"

19 Feb 2008: UNISON slams Edinburgh 'stealth cuts' and warns of crisis for front line services

21 Dec: UNISON makes up for Council residential home Scrooges Union steps in after reports that Council budget cuts will scrap the traditional Christmas Day after-dinner chocolates in homes for the elderly and young people this year.

20 Dec: Leafletting starts against home care cuts

29 Nov: UNISON fury at Council's shared services spin. 800 jobs at risk. Union warns it will strike against redundancies

Edinburgh Burma motion passed by LGBT Conference

Equal Pay: 'Quick fix' deal with lawyers won't resolve problem. UNISON fights on for fair pay and compensation for all staff.

Child Protection Inspection: UNISON welcomes praise for work of frontline staff and calls for national debate on the crisis in resources for vulnerable children

Cuts: Talks bring some movement but still no guarantees on redundancies.

16 Aug: Edinburgh workers vote for strike against cuts and redundancies

23 July 2007: Strike ballot as UNISON mounts action against Edinburgh cuts

11 April 2007: Edinburgh's local government union warns council income tax could hit services and democracy

Don't sign away your rights! Advice for members being made equal pay compromise offers - Plus equal pay: Your questions answered.