Due to tutor availability we are changing the times of the above course to the afternoon:
New Course Date/Time
Wednesday 12 May and Thursday 13 May 2021
1.00-4.30 pm each day
If any stewards are interested in attending this course please complete your accreditation please arrange for the below course application form to be completed and returned to activisteducationscotland@unison.co.uk.
Well what a year it has been. Sadly it has been one where many of our colleagues and family members have lost their lives to this dreadful pandemic. One year on, we commemorate with a minutes’ silence those who have been taken from us, and we honour those who have lost their lives whilst fighting to protect others on the frontline.
UNISON is One Team and every member plays their part in keeping services running. No matter what your job role, we are proud of every single one of you for your hard work and dedication to our public services.
We are heartened that the vaccination program gives us hope for the future and some light at the end of this very long tunnel. read more..
We can now offer new dates for an online Stage 2 Organising Stewards course. The course will be tutored by UNISON Scotland staff and lay tutors via the Zoom platform. Please note this is a Stage 2 only course and delegates must have completed Stage 1 previously.
Course Date/Time
Wednesday 12 May and Thursday 13 May 2021
9.30 am – 1.00 pm each day
If any stewards are interested in attending this course please complete their accreditation and return the above form to activisteducationscotland@unison.co.uk.
You will be aware from our previous correspondence that we urged COSLA to improve their current pay offer by today, the normal pay implementation date. They have not done so.
Your UNISON Local Government committee have met and agreed that we should reject the offer and mobilise for action.
It is anticipated that the digital ballot will open on the 12th April and preparations are underway for this. As part of that we will draft some FAQs and some key messages to help explain the offer and the rationale for the recommendation. These, and other supporting materials/graphics etc, will come out to you in due course.
Please see below the latest correspondence sent to COSLA following our SJC Steering Group meeting this morning. Please note the Local Government Committee meets to consider this issue on the morning of Thursday 1st April. Preparations for a consultative ballot are underway.
You should now all have received your LG survey. Please do fill it in and encourage all members to do likewise. The initial response has been really good but the more data we have the better our info.
All major political parties have now been invited to our UNISON Local Government Scottish Parliamentary election hustings which has been organised to take place on Thursday 15th April at 7pm.
The event will be held online and each Party has been invited to nominate a representative to attend who they think will best represent their views in this area. The event will be open to all of our LG members and more information will be sent out to all once further details have been confirmed.
The STUC Women’s Committee is calling for the expansion of Universal Free School Meals in Scotland.
The Scottish Government has said that education and tackling the poverty-related attainment gap are their top priorities: we ask the Scottish Government to take stronger action in support of these priorities by introducing Universal Free School Meals for all.
Our children and young people’s life chances cannot be put on hold – immediate policy action is required now
Poverty and inequality were already at an unacceptably high level in Scotland well before the Coronavirus pandemic struck, and we have grave concerns that such socio-economic disadvantage has only intensified, especially for children and women.
The Scottish Government’s commitment to significantly reduce Child Poverty by 2030, with a view to ultimately eradicating it, and the creation of the new Scottish Child Payment Benefit is welcomed by the STUC Women’s Committee. Similarly, we welcome the Deputy First Minister’s pledge to expand free school meals provision to all Primary school pupils if the SNP retain power at the 2021 Scottish Parliament Elections.
However, we strongly believe that further urgent action to mitigate child poverty is required immediately. The Scottish Government have the power and resources to go further in introducing progressive policies that can more strongly mitigate poverty and inequality and make life-changing differences to children and families now. Firm and decisive action on child poverty in Scotland cannot be further delayed.
That is why the STUC Women’s Committee is calling on the Scottish Government to expand Universal Free School Meals to all children and young people, including those of Secondary school and Nursery age, with immediate effect. Moreover, we are calling on the Scottish Government to combat holiday hunger by ensuring that there are programmes and provisions in place in all of Scotland’s local authorities so that all children and young people have access to sufficient food during the school holidays.
Our most vulnerable children, young people’s right and access to a nutritious meal should not be determined by chance of the local authority they live in or based on the goodwill of community volunteers.
We know that the roots of the poverty-related attainment gap stretch well beyond the school gates, but the significant role our educational institutions play in tackling poverty, challenging inequality, and helping to build a healthier, more inclusive society cannot be underestimated.
We strongly believe that the introduction of Universal Free School Meals will not only help to combat hunger and poverty but will shatter the stigma and shame associated with the provision of meals on a means tested basis and will fuel young people’s ability to learn in the classroom. Neither empty tummies nor low self-esteem make for full days of learning in school. Furthermore, this progressive policy sends a clear and positive message to the rest of the devolved nations and beyond that we are serious about ending poverty in Scotland, and that we are genuinely committed to educational equity and to the wellbeing of our young people.
Sign the petition today and email the First Minister showing your support.
Stirling UNISON 