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PENSIONS DISPUTE – SCOTLAND - 28 SEPTEMBER PEN SIONS DISPUTE – SCOTLANDAn Emergency Local Government Committee meeting took place today to discuss the Scottish position in relation to the UK national dispute over pensions. The Committee recognised the significant contribution our Scottish negotiators have made in securing the announcement that the contribution increase would not be imposed on Scottish Local Government workers. However, this only addresses one aspect of the ongoing pensions issues. Your pension will be significantly reduced on retirement due to the change from RPI to CPI introduced in April 2011 and UNISON continues to oppose this change. The Scottish Government and COSLA have indicated that separate discussions will take place on the recommendations and potential consequences for Scotland of the Hutton review which will have a detrimental effect on Local Government workers. The Committee believes that given the continuation of the pay freeze, the cuts to jobs and to conditions of service, securing a YES vote on the pensions issue will ensure that the UK Government is left in no doubt that we are not prepared to accept the continued attacks on public service workers. To read more Click here
VENEZUELA AND FRIENDS
Date: Saturday 29 October 2011, 10.30 to 17.00 Followed by: SOCIAL - salsa lessons at 5 pm; music and dancing from 6 onwards Venue: STUC, Woodlands Road, Glasgow For more details Click here
Scottish Spending Review 2011 -22 September
The Scottish Government has published its Spending Review for the next three years. UNISON Scotland response:- Commenting on today’s Scottish Spending Review announcement, Mike Kirby, UNISON’s Scottish Secretary, said: “While we welcome the news on public sector pensions as it applies to local government, the Finance Secretary had the discretion to carry this across the public services and chose not to do so. “Although his announcement removes the threat of industrial action in local government, we still have serious issues across the public sector with many thousands of our members still facing unprecedented attacks to their pensions. “We’re angry at the continuation of the pay freeze which will affect hundreds of thousands of low-paid workers, who have already faced a real-term pay cut for the past two years. There’s also no evidence that the £250 payment for workers earning under £21,000 will be universally applied.” To read an initial UNISON commentary on the review Click here
Public Works: Update September 2011
On October 1st UNISON will be marching for public services alongside community groups, service users and other trade unions, on the STUC-organised People First demonstration in Glasgow. To read about the march Click here
SCOTTISH PENSIONS BULLETIN NO 25 - September 2011
Scottish Government start talks on pensions The Cabinet Secretary for Finance, John Swinney MSP has initiated discussions with public service pension stakeholders in Scotland including trade unions and employer organisations. This follows the broad discussions at a UK level on the UK Government‟s response to the Hutton Commission recommendations and proposals to increase employee pension contributions by 50% (3.2% of salary). To read more Click here
BASW Launch Social Worker's "Trade Union" - September 2011 BASW launches social workers ‘trade union’: Branches are urged to stand firm against recognition attempts and RECRUIT! To read more Click here
Programme for Scotland 2011-12
The Scottish Government has published its programme for the coming year. The document sets out the legislative and other actions it plans to deliver. This briefing outlines the main items of interest to UNISON. To read more Click here
P OST-16 EDUCATION AND TRAINING REVIEW - SEP 2011The Scottish Government’s review of post-16 education and training has now been published. Its remit included all publicly funded provision (excluding higher education in universities) as well as provision funded by employers and learners. Willie Roe, ex-Chair of Skills Development Scotland, led the review. To read more Click here
HOUSING BENEFIT REFORM - AUGUST 2O11 As part of the Welfare Reform Bill, the UK Government proposes to bring together a range of different benefits including Housing Benefit (HB), into a single Universal Credit. The idea is to simplify the benefits system, moving towards online and telephone support to claimants, but this overlooks the complexity behind many housing benefit claims. Although Housing Benefit is paid by the UK Government, it is administered locally by staff employed by local authorities who have built up substantial expertise in this and other benefits to ensure that claimants receive their full benefit entitlement. To read more Click here
People First on 1st October – STUC March
As part of the There is a Better Way campaign STUC has recently announced the People First march and rally. To read more Click here
Protect our Pensions Campaign - 27 July
A meeting of the TUC's public service unions on Monday 18 July, chaired by Dave Prentis, agreed to extend the negotiations with the government on public service pensions. The TUC unions have made it clear to the government that they have not agreed to or accepted any of the Government’s objectives or the change in indexation from RPI to CPI. Further talks will take place centrally, and individual unions will be actively considering participating in scheme level talks. This is to make sure that each party fully explores all the issues and to enable unions and their members to reach a judgement on whether agreement is possible or whether they will enter into dispute and plan industrial action. To read more Click here
SCOTTISH PENSIONS BULLETIN NO 24 - June
To read the latest bulletin Click here
Christie Report - - 29 June
Commission on the Future Delivery of Public Services
The Scottish Government established the Commission on the Future Delivery of Public Services, chaired by Campbell Christie, former General Secretary of the STUC. The commission had a broad remit to look at the long term pattern of public service delivery in Scotland. The report’s key conclusions are that Scotland’s public services require comprehensive reform by empowering communities, integrating service provision, preventing negative social outcomes and becoming more efficient. This briefing summarises the key points in the report and UNISON Scotland’s initial response.
Scottish Pension Factsheet - 17 June To read the Fact sheets Click here Information and Technology Review - 4 June The Scottish Government has published its review of Information and Communication Technology in the public sector. The public sector spends about £1.4billion a year on ICT including £250million on 6200 staff. To read more Click here SCOTTISH PENSIONS up-date - 28 May UNISON Scotland today welcomed concerns from MPs who warned that the Treasury has not carried out a proper assessment of the impact of changes to public service pensions. To read more Click here
SCOTTISH PENSIONS BULLETIN NO 23 - MAY
Indexing Pension Increases – RPI to CPI The UK Government is changing the indexing of public sector pension increases each year from the Retail Price Index (RPI) to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The effect of the change is likely to cut pension benefits by at least 15%. Scottish Local Government Pension Scheme The Scottish Local Government Pensions Advisory Group (SLOGPAG) met on 13 May. The main issue was the proposed 3.2% increase in pension contributions. The trade union side made it clear that as the cost of the increase had not been scored against the Barnett Formula, there was no justification for any pension increase other than that agreed through cost sharing. To read more Click here
Local Government Pension Scheme
Campaign News
27 April 2011 LGPS Issue no 1 Welcome to the re-vamped LGPS Campaign News – now known as ‘LGPS – Protect Our Pensions’. UNISON is campaigning hard to protect all the pension schemes to which UNISON members belong, but ‘LGPS – Protect Our Pensions’ will focus solely on our campaign to protect the LGPS. To read more Click here
Scottish Parliament Elections 2011Scottish Parliament elections 2011 – use your vote for public services Our public services are facing an unprecedented assault from the cuts that have been announced by the ConDem coalition. UNISON members are being threatened with redundancy and countless services are being cut across the country. However, there are things the Scottish government can do to stop this.
The Scottish Parliament elections will take place on Thursday, 5 May. This election gives you an opportunity to send the government a very clear message. We can make the arguments to the government, we can challenge decisions made without proper consultation, we can take industrial action where our members agree to do so, but we know that politicians feel most vulnerable when votes are cast at the ballot box.
To read more about how to use your vote Click here
To read more about how to use your vote to protect your pension Click here
SCOTTISH PENSIONS BULLETIN 22 - 8 April 2011We face a number of attacks on Scottish pension schemes including: Change to the way pension increases are calculated – Retail Price Index to Consumer Price Index that will cut average pensions by at least 15%. Retirement age increases that don’t reflect the demands on many public service workers. Abolishing pension protection for workers who are forced to transfer to another employer outside the public sector. A complete overhaul of the state pension that will impact on public service schemes. Changes to fund governance and cost sharing provisions with employers.Important though these issues are the key issue is the proposed 3.2% increase in member contributions. That’s a 50% increase. This is simply a tax to pay back government debts that were raised to bail out the banks. None of the money will go into the schemes and it threatens the whole system – if members opt-out. Overall the pension changes mean: Pay more – Work longer – Get less To read more Click here If you are worried about your pension and want to be more active please contact the branch at office@unison-angus.org.uk. We are looking for Pensions contacts and Pensions Champions as this is a vital issue for all members of the pension scheme.
Bulletin 21 - March 2011 - For the Scottish perspective on the Hutton report Click here
UNISON Protest at Angus College - 30 March 2011Angus College staff protest against funding cuts Angus College staff have taken part in a day of action against cuts to funding.
Social science student Louise Martin with son Brendan Taylor (4) and other protesters making their point in Arbroath. To read more about the extent of the cuts at the College Click here
Travel Allowances - 24 March 2011UNISON Angus Council Branch has had a meeting with management to discuss the current travel allowances and have today requested in writing a review of the allowances. We have pointed out that the mileage rate has not increased and has actually reduced over the years to the current rate. We have stressed that members feel very strongly about this as the price of fuel continues to rise and, with world wide unrest, is likely to continue to rise. The cost of MOTs, insurance and general vehicle maintenance also continues to rise. We have pointed out that members have had to accept a pay freeze but the current status quo re the mileage rates means that members are actually faced with a drop in pay as the percentage of their income spent on travelling has risen. Many members are struggling to keep their cars on the road. Budget response - 23 MARCH 2011
Tax cuts for rich businesses isn’t much of a strategy – UNISON Scotland budget response To read more Click here
SCOTTISH PENSIONS BULLETIN - 10 MARCH 2011For the Scottish perspective on the Hutton report Click here
Pay claim - February 2011Negotiations are under way - Click here to read more
revitalisemanifesto
Revitalise Bulletin Autumn 2010
 We must continue to argue against bad economics and defend members jobs and the services that ordinary people rely on. Hands Off Our Pensions
To read a personal plea Click here
STUC on Redundancy Framework - 28 February 2011Following a BBC report that ‘A deal guaranteeing no compulsory redundancies in the public sector in Scotland is understood to be close’ Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) General Secretary Grahame Smith said “The Scottish Government is guilty of jumping the gun and it is not helpful to have discussions of this nature played out in the media. “The STUC has been open at all stages to reaching an understanding on no compulsory redundancies, but as things stand we are not “close” to agreement. “It is far from clear that the Scottish Government and COSLA are on the same page, particularly in relation to their interpretation of what it means to maintain headcount and the extent to which no compulsory redundancies are actually guaranteed. “An additional problem is that this objective does not match with the experience of union negotiators and our wider membership in how on-going negotiations are currently being approached by public sector employers. This makes it difficult to see how the trust need to make any agreement work can be achieve.”
SCOTTISH PENSIONS BULLETIN - FEBRUARY 2011In the last Scottish Pensions Bulletin Unison highlighted the UK government plan to increase pension contributions by 3.2%, grabbing £2.8bn from pension contributions. For Scotland this means around £375m being raided from Scotland’s budget. This includes £140m from local government and further £140m from health. The Scottish Government has now written seeking views on how they should respond. We discussed this at the pension contacts meeting on 7 February and we have now responded to the Scottish Government through the STUC. We have argued that the Scottish Government should not agree to the UK Government’s proposal to increase employee contributions to public service pension schemes for the following reasons: This increase bears no relation to the actual cost of public service pension schemes in Scotland. It is a simple cash grab from our members salaries at a time when the Scottish Government’s pay policy is already resulting in a real terms cut in pay. To read more Click here
March for the Alternative!The STUC are organising a march in London on 26 March 2011 assembling at Victoria Embankment. The theme is that deep, savage and immediate cuts are not necessary and are not unavoidable. They are ideological. The cuts will not be evenly shared out. Cuts in Public Spending will threaten recovery, force up unemployment and wreck the economy and our services. For information on transport for the march go to www.thereisabetterway.org
AGM 2011A big Thank You to everyone who turned up at Letham Hotel on 15th February 2011. There was a very good turn out and the meeting was quorate - this means there were enough members present to vote on the branch business of electing office bearers, departmental reps and work place stewards and to make changes to the branch constitution. Public Sector Reform - January 2011The Scottish Government has established the Commission on the Future Delivery of Public Services. It is Chaired by Campbell Christie, former General Secretary of the STUC. The commission has a broad remit to look at the long term pattern of public service delivery in Scotland and will report in June 2011. For more information Click here Pay claim 2011-12 - December 2010Unison is already preparing the pay claim for 2011-12. For more Click here
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