Monday 8 July 2013

Is Local government in meltdown ?

UNISON, the UK’s largest union, today added its voice to calls from the Local Government Association (LGA) for urgent action to address the funding shortfall in local councils, or face complete meltdown. The union is warning that it is becoming increasingly impossible to provide vital local services against a backdrop of savage government funding and staff cuts.

The £2.1bn shortfall facing local government each year is down to Tory party politics says UNISON. The tax cut for millionaires has cost the Treasury £2.255bn a year – money that should have been used to provide the essential support services to the children, elderly and vulnerable that the LGA say are under threat because of cuts.



Heather Wakefield, UNISON head of local government, said:

“The cuts are striking at the very heart of local government. They are a false economy, which are not just damaging the services that people rely on but also the economy. While UNISON backs the principle of agencies working together outlined by the LGA, the driving force must be to deliver quality, professional services and not just an excuse for cutting more staff.

“Hundreds of thousands of jobs have already been lost from the local government workforce and the resulting loss in spending power in local economies has hit local shops and businesses hard. When you factor in the loss of tax and National Insurance revenue because of public sector redundancies, the picture is worse. Evidence from all economies is that you need a strong public sector to generate growth and a healthy economy, something that this Government ignores at its peril.”

Monday 24 June 2013

General secretary's blog...

Why not take at look at the general secretary's blog

New presidential team

Maureen Le Marinel has been elected president of UNISON for the next 12 months. She was elected at the first meeting of the union's national executive council after last week's national delegate conference.

Ms Le Marinel is branch secretary of the Lancashire police branch and is the union's first gay president.

Lucia McKeever, a nursing assistant and branch secretary of Armagh Dungannon health branch, is the new senior vice-president, having been elected to the presidential team last year.

She is the first woman from Northern Ireland to hold this position since the union was formed in 1993.

They are joined by North Yorkshire County Council branch secretary Wendy Nichols as the junior vice-president - making this the union's first-ever all-woman presidential team.

Sunday 5 May 2013

Government mutuals plan

Commenting on the news that the government will sell off dozens of state owned services into so-called mutuals, Dave Prentis, UNISON General Secretary, said:

“This is privatisation by stealth. The involvement of big private companies makes mutuals just another Tory party ploy to sell off public services. The government is stretching the definition of mutuals to the limit – genuine co-ops and mutuals will be up in arms.

“Staff will be plunged into confusion and could face being taken out of public sector pension schemes and having their pay and conditions seriously harmed. Community organisations will struggle to win contracts without harsh measures such as freezing pay and reducing leave and sick pay.

“Mutuals are dangerously untested in this context. At the very least, we need a serious investigation as to how mutuals would deliver public services in the interest of the public and employees.”

See coverage os Dave's comments in today's Independent: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/the-great-civil-service-selloff-dozens-of-services-and-75000-staff-set-to-be-transferred-to-private-sector-8598188.html

Monday 29 April 2013

Legal helpline launches on May Day

UNISON is launching a legal helpline to assist hard-pressed activists needing urgent legal advice. 

The helpline will launch on 1 May and has been set up in response to feedback from UNISON activists. It aims to provide urgent initial legal help on employment matters.

Launching the helpline, general secretary Dave Prentis said: "Our activists are working hard to look after our members and this government is set on making their lives harder. Activists told us they needed access to quick legal advice and this is what the helpline aims to provide."
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The helpline will be monitored and reviewed to make sure the service it is providing an effective and efficient service.

Press to Read more 

Tuesday 23 April 2013

Oxford Unite the Resistance Public Meeting


"Trade unions and the fight against austerity: a strategy to win"

Monday, 29 April 2013

Ruskin College, Headington,
Oxford, OX3 9BZ

Speakers include: (personal capacity)
·         Zita Holbourne (PCS NEC / Black Activists Rising Against Cuts)
·         Chad Croom (Branch Sec CWU South Central)
·         Ellen Clifford (Disabled People Against Cuts)
·         Alan Whitaker (former President UCU)
·         Ian Hodson (President Bakers’ Union BFAWU)
   
Speakers from the bedroom tax and other campaigns willl also be attending and the floor will be open to contributions from all.
   
Supported by:
PCS DWP Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire & CWU South Central

2024 Annual General Meeting

  2024 Annual General Meeting   Thursday 28 March 2024 15:00 till 16:00 St Aldates Tavern, St Aldates or online via Teams   One of the most ...