Edinburgh Social Work inquiry goes public
Three thousand UNISON social work members will be closely watching developments in the "Edinburgh Inquiry" as it meets in public in the first week in June.
The inquiry follows the dreadful abuse by care workers Brian McLennan and Gordon Knott, now serving long sentences for offences committed in the 70's and early 80's.
"UNISON members working with children were horrified by these events and the branch quickly joined the council to urge members with concerns to approach the inquiry", explained John Stevenson, branch vice-chair.
The branch issued a statement deploring "the betrayal of trust and the misuse of power inherent in such abuse" and expressing its sympathy for "victims who should have a right to be safe in local authority care."
The statement, backed by UNISON Scotland last December, went on, "The overwhelming majority of residential staff are selflessly committed to providing sensitive and professional care, often under very trying circumstances.
"They too will suffer from the public image created by these events."
The awareness of abuse is much greater today with better procedures. In addition the branch has agreed a "whistle-blowing" procedure with the department. However, the fact that abuse can and does occur, led UNISON to call for:
- A properly resourced residential service with appropriately trained and qualified staff
- Accountable management structures with professional support and supervision systems
- Efficient but fair procedures which allow the concerns of children and staff to be taken seriously, while protecting the right to natural justice
- Union support and advice for staff who have justified reason to believe abuse is occurring or has occurred and are facing obstacles in securing proper investigation.
Pay settled at 3%
The 1998 pay deal has been agreed at 3% and should be in pay packets by the end of June.
The rise will be backdated to 1 April.
The settlement was made after consultation with stewards and members across the country came up with no appetite for industrial action.
Negotiators had reported that 3% was the best that could be achieved through negotiation. Scotland had the highest return of members responding to the consultation.
Details of the new pay scales will go out to stewards as soon as possible.
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Stick and spotted hankie time again
The council's Education Department is on the move again prompting John Mulgrew to quip staff should be issued with 'sticks and spotted hankies".
John, service conditions coordinator, reports that only a short time after their move from Torphichen Street to George IV Bridge, Education staff are to be uprooted to Waterloo Place.
Some staff in St Giles Street and Corporate Services are set to follow in the next phase.
The council is to sign a lease on the building opposite the Housing Department from 1 July as part of the big move to make way for a temporary home for the Scottish Parliament.
Branch meets Commission and responds to first consultation paper on Local Government and the Scottish Parliament.
Debate must deal with council underfunding
Any debate on the future of local government has to take account of the massive underfunding it has suffered, branch officers told the Commission on Local Government and the Scottish Parliament.
"Cuts over a long period have resulted in vast service reductions and huge job losses", said Dougie Black, joint branch secretary, launching the branch's response.
Here we look at the rest of the branch's response under the Commission's headings.
Developing the community and local economy
"A strong, vibrant local authority which responds to the needs of the community by delivering effective quality services, properly financed and democratically controlled, is essential to sustain and develop the community and the local economy", said UNISON's submission.
"Successful modernised local government needs a workforce that is highly trained and fairly paid, working in partnership with elected members and community groups".
Local government must exist in its own right and "not be constantly forced into unwelcome and unwanted change at the behest of central government".
Spending restraint
With councils only able to raise 14% of their expenditure, the imbalance of power between local and central government had to be addressed.
The branch called for an end to capping and for more flexibility to determine spending priorities and freedom to develop and improve services.
The uniform business rate should be returned to local authority control.
Voting systems/ access
We argued that buildings like schools may not be the most accessible venue for some voters and places like libraries and supermarkets should be considered.
The link between a councillor and those who elect him/her must be kept and there should be a system "which allows for the greater participation of women, preferably on a minimum representation basis of 50/50".
Electoral cycle
UNISON opposed yearly council elections which would be more expensive and less effective. A three or four year term would allow councils to see through longer terms plans.
Debarment of council employees
The democratic deficit that bans 280,000 workers (8% of the electorate) from standing for election to councils must be dealt with.
The current law means many of our members are forced to resign from their jobs if they wish to stand for election.
Decentralisation
The branch supports bringing services closer to the people who use them, and giving communities a say.
Officers outlined how this has been achieved in some Edinburgh projects, but warned its success depended on a partnership with the workforce.
But no amount of consultation with communities would replace the need for elected members to be "accountable for their decisions and action through the ballot box". Referenda should be optional with councils not being forced into them.
Enhanced powers
The branch supported giving council's a "general competence" power to free them up from the current restrictive statutory base and allow them to operate much more freely in the interests of the community they serve.
Cabinet/ elected Provost
We opposed plans being floated for a 'cabinet style' of local government as undemocratic and likely to result in the authority being driven by a few executive members at arms length to the electorate, and chief officers being forced into a 'political' role.
It would create a two-tier council with many powerless elected members.
For the same reasons, UNISON rejected the idea of an elected Lord Provost.
The Commission
The Commission has been appointed by the Secretary of State to consider the relationship between local government and the Scottish Parliament and how councils can be responsive and democratically accountable to their local communities.
Branch consultation
The Commission will come back with discussion papers based on this consultation.
But this is only this first in a whole series of consultation exercises on the Scottish Parliament and the branch is keen to consult as many members as possible.
However, timescales are inevitably short and documents are therefore being sent to departmental conveners to try to reach members in time.
Copies of this consultation paper and the branch response is available from the branch office. The response is also on the website.
Edinburgh Inquiry: advice to members
The Edinburgh Social Work Inquiry is the first to be held under the new Children (Scotland) Act 1995.
It also has wide powers under the Local Government (Scotland) Act which allow it to legally require people or organisations (like UNISON) to attend and give evidence, and to demand production of any documents.
Members summoned to the inquiry should seek advice from the union if they have any concerns.
Initial legal advice also suggests a technical possibility that the council could subsequently sue someone for the costs of the inquiry if their actions were deemed to have been the cause of the inquiry.
The inquiry has been working for some time pulling together information and speaking to people. While most of its work will be in private, it will sit in public from 1-5 June.
UNISON restates its advice that any member with concerns about practices or abuse should approach the inquiry.
You can get support or advice from the branch regarding this by phoning 0131 469 3880/1.
Demand for 'The Full Monty' of equal rights
Scottish Trade Union Congress delegates were almost treated(?) to the 'Full Monty' last month from Edinburgh UNISON member Murray Forgie during his speech on "Stonewall Equality 2000".
Calling for unions to support the campaign for equality and social justice for lesbians and gay men in the millennium, modest Murray kept his trousers on after stripping down to his UNISON Lesbian and Gay Group T-shirt.
He made sure delegates took notice as UNISON Scottish Secretary Matt Smith looked on nervously from the platform and others at the back stood (woke?) up for a better look.
Murray applauded the STUC record of fighting for equality in womens rights, anti-racism and discrimination against disabled people.
But now was the time to go "the Full Monty" to make the government live up to its pre-election promises for a fairer and more equal society, including equality for lesbians and gay men.
The campaign was thrown into focus by the case of railway worker Lisa Grant who was denied travel concessions for her partner because she was a woman. Yet this benefit for partners was enjoyed by all her heterosexual colleagues.
In a shock decision, the European Court of Human Rights decided Lisa had not been discriminated against under equality legislation because her employer, South Western Trains, said "a gay man and his partner would likewise have been refused".
Civil Rights campaigners and politicians has been expecting victory in this high profile case with Cherie Blair as the leading QC acting for Lisa.
"Had the case been won, governments would have been forced to enshrine equal rights for lesbians and gay men in employment, pensions and all areas of civil law. The loss means Britain is still one of the most discriminatory countries in Europe!" said Murray.
You can help raise the profile of the UNISON, TUC and STUC sponsored Stonewall Equality 2000 campaign by signing the "Equality 2000" postcards available from stewards and the branch office, and sending them to Downing Street before Lesbian and Gay Pride in July.
Labour in government's first test is the vote on the equal age of consent next month; a small but important step towards full equality.
If you would like more information, contact Murray Forgie or Natalie in confidence via the branch office on 0131 469 3880.
Details are also on the Website at http://www.unison-edinburgh.org.uk/soglg.html.
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Branch challenges overtime pay cuts
UNISON has discovered that many members are losing £100s a year due to cuts in contractual overtime payments.
The main victims are Housing caretaking staff and manual workers in DSOs whose hours of work changed last year.
"Management are trying to claw back what they claim are overpayments but we have managed to put a hold on this pending talks", said John Ross, APT&C convener.
"The staff involved are low paid workers and they can ill afford these cuts in pay" John told UNISONNews
"I find it astonishing that the council can protect wages of managerial staff but cannot extend this to all workers.
"This authority has a policy about tackling poverty. Clearly this does not extend to their own employees", added John
Sell-off fears in burials transfer
UNISON fears the burials service may be at risk of voluntary competitive tendering after a review transferred staff to the DSO Grounds Maintenance.
The council agreed the plan despite stout resistance from burials staff who involved community groups in a campaign to stay with Environ- mental & Consumer Services.
UNISON and the TGWU argued that it was not rational to merge 'defined' and 'non-defined' elements of the authority at a time when compulsory tendering had not fully been abandoned.
George Lee, manual work convener, told the council that the transfer, along with benchmarking of the Grounds Maintenance DSO, could lead to burial services being put out to tendering.
"This transfer could lead to a reduction in service and given the sensitive nature of this service any cut is unacceptable", said George.
The council noted the unions' comments and gave reassurance on the conditions of transferring staff.
Discussions have now started to ensure a smooth transition. "Time alone will tell whether the council have got it right", added George.
Harassment Review
With the growing number of harassment cases, the branch is setting up a working group to look at:
- how it handles the cases
- support systems for victims
- improved systems for deciding how, when and when not to represent accused members.
- Index
Call for fairer code on suspensions
The branch has called for talks on the problem of members being suspended for long periods awaiting disciplinary investigations.
And following a Social Work motion to the branch committee, working groups will be set up departmentally to develop proposals to put to the council.
"Suspensions can last anything from weeks to over 18 months and the only recourse a member has is a monthly review", said John Mulgrew, service conditions coordinator.
"We want the council to look at how suspensions are being applied, whether they are needed or whether special leave could be used, and timescales that could be laid down".
In a letter to the council he has also asked for talks on an appeal process for members who are suspended, guidance on suspensions and support mechanisms for staff who are suspended.
Workers Memorial Day
Remember the dead and fight for the living
Branch officers Charlie McInally Dougie Black, Morag Stevenson and Gordon Barnett laid the branch wreath on Workers Memorial Day on 28 April.
Speaking at the Workers Memorial Tree in Princes Street Gardens, Morag said, "It is our duty to remember those who have died as a result of their work, and we must fight on for safer conditions for the living".
She praised the campaign to get work related stress recognised, the fight to protect lone workers and the need to continue to combat dangerous emissions and improve working environments.
On the Negotiating Line...
Negotiations with the council affect council employed staff only. But many policies are automatically applied by related sector employers. It is important that related sector stewards keep an eye on how these are being implemented locally.
Car Leasing/ Purchase
Final drafts of the new schemes are out to stewards for consultation. The main points are:
Leasing: Only essential users will have access. The scheme is not attractive and UNISON advice is to shop around before considering the council scheme.
Assisted Purchase: Open to essential and casual but limited to £7,000 maximum. Fixed amount in the pot for loans each quarter.
Casual/Essential status: Talks at departmental level.
Sickness Absence Policy
Negotiations are now in the final throes and the document will go out to stewards soon.
"It is not perfect but it is greatly improved and will put more emphasis on supporting people rather than putting more pressure on them with disciplinary threats", said John Mulgrew, service conditions coordinator.
Workplace stress
UNISON is launching a survey on workplace stress and will submit a claim for a policy to deal with the issue.
SEWA; meeting needs and building unity
Joint International Officer EILEEN PENMAN reports on a SEAD seminar on the Self-Employed Womens Association in India
SEWA is the largest trade union in Gujarat, serving over 400,000 urban and rural women who are self-employed as street traders, or in their homes and in the fields.
Established in 1972 in Ahmedebad, the centre for the textile industry and where Ghandi started his salt marches, SEWA operates according to Ghandi's philosophy of non-violent direct action.
The Association is funded through the government, the International Union of Food Resources in Geneva, private donations and union affiliates.
The women, however, are not recognised under labour laws nor are they really accepted as part of the establishment trade union organisation.
They are also not recognised by planners and policy makers. The police beat them up in the street, employers take advantage of them and the Labour Department look on street vendors as criminals.
The women SEWA organises are extremely vulnerable and mostly unable to read or write They have no access to training, credit, tools, so can't build up their businesses.
SEWA has a holistic approach and embraces both the struggle effort and the development effort.
They are concerned with housing, violence against women and draw attention to exploitative situations.
Through SEWA, women get access to education, credit, housing co-ops, child care co-ops, health care, social security and legal aid. SEWA has a different set of values which are not establishment, but non-violent and non-macho.
Central to its activities is the SEWA Bank which offers loans, savings schemes and insurance to these women as well as training them in handling finance.
It only cost a few rupees to join the bank which provides credit at an interest rate much less than the money lenders.
Once women are more in control of their finances they can take more control over how their households and businesses are run. Confidentiality is protected as many women do not want their husbands to find out they have their own bank account.
The SEWA Academy offers a two-day training module to women who want to strengthen their capacity as community leaders. It is hoped these women will extend their knowledge of SEWA into the community and begin to deal with local issues themselves.
SEWA highlights issues facing workers and puts pressure on existing structures to change. By taking part in the development effort women can struggle to meet their own needs whilst at the same time, because of the large number of women involved, build unity and confidence.
If you would like more information about SEWA contact: Molly Nolan at Sead, 23 Castle Street, Edinburgh. Tel: 225 6550.
The views expressed in UNISON News are not necessarily those of UNISON City of Edinburgh Branch or the union.
All articles/comments to John Stevenson, Communications Officer at 0131 469 3660