Category: News

Scottish Union Learning has organised a summer programme.

Scottish Union Learning has organised a summer programme of learning for reps and union members to develop their skills and knowledge.

The following sessions are being offered over the months of July and August:

28th July – Presenting Yourself Online with LinkedIn

4th August – Deaf Awareness Session

12th August – Employment Law: An Introduction

19th August – Equalities Legislation: An Introduction

25th August – Women & Autism in the Workplace

31st August – Human Rights Legislation: An Overview

Please click here for more information, including times and a link to sign up to these sessions.

Easing of Covid restrictions

The First Minister announced that from Monday 19th July, all parts of Scotland will move to level 0.  There though will be certain modifications made to level 0 rules, with hospitality venues required to close at midnight, physical distancing to remain in outdoor public places and people encouraged to work from home until at least 9 August. Read the full statement here. 

Guidance on COVID-19 Protection Levels has also been updated yesterday (13th July). The guidance sets out what you can and cannot do at each level. 

Early learning and childcare: statutory guidance – July 2021 

Statutory guidance to education authorities to support them in exercising their functions in relation to the delivery of early learning and childcare from 1 August 2021 has been published today here. 

This statutory guidance is issued under section 34 of the Standards in Scotland’s Schools Act 2000 (the 2000 Act) which empowers Scottish Ministers to issue guidance to education authorities on the exercise of their functions in relation to the delivery of early learning and childcare. This statutory guidance applies from 1 August 2021. 

This guidance replaces previous guidance and circulars; and should be read in connection with the legislation to which it relates. 

The main part of the statutory guidance follows the provisions as set out in Part 6 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, as it is through these functions that early learning and childcare is defined. To complement this the document also sets out additional guidance on key related legislation and policy that are out-with the scope of section 34 of the 2000 Act under which this statutory guidance is issued. 

Are You a New Heath and Safety Rep?

 
At the recent UNISON Special Delegates Conference, the outgoing President, Josie Bird, announced that over the last year we have recruited record numbers of UNISON health and safety reps.  The pandemic has shown the importance of workplace health and safety and the devastating consequences for members when employers and the Government get things wrong.

Have you become a UNISON health and safety rep in the past 18 months?  If so, we’d like to hear from you.  As part of our Be On the Safe Side campaign we want to recruit more reps and you can help us by sharing your stories. 

What made you become a health and safety rep in the first place? How are you finding the role? Tips for members who are thinking about becoming reps. 

If you want to support our Be On the Safe Side campaign and help grow our health and safety rep community and make workplaces healthier and safer please contact the health and safety unit on healthandsafetyunit@unison.co.uk

Updates on LG Pay, Long Covid and Mitigation in Schools

We understand that the Cabinet secretary for Finance has agreed to a joint meeting with COSLA Leaders to discuss the funding situation for local government and that meeting is due to take place this Wednesday.

LG Pay Negotiations Update 

We understand that the Cabinet secretary for Finance has agreed to a joint meeting with COSLA Leaders to discuss the funding situation for local government and that meeting is due to take place this Wednesday.  Thereafter COSLA Leaders are due to meet on Friday, at which point it is likely they will take a view on affordability with respect to improving the pay offer following the discussions with the Cabinet Secretary.  This is the final week of the Scottish Parliament sitting before the summer recess and we have asked Mark Griffin MSP to see if he can get an urgent question laid on this issue to add additional pressure on the Scottish Government.  We will keep you abreast of developments. 

TUC webinar: Long Covid and the workplace  

The TUC is hosting a webinar discussing the results of its survey of Long Covid in the workplace, current policy relating to the condition, the related campaign priorities and what unions can do to support workers experiencing symptoms.  It’s open to all TU activists, reps and officers with an interest in the issue.  It is being held at 7pm on the 30th June and you can register here: http://msg.unison.org.uk/c/1nhZGBmZ1Qq0KNsxs5tm9 

Mitigations in Schools post-summer 

Please find attached an advice note regarding planning for mitigations in schools post-summer holidays, including in respect of the schools asymptomatic testing programme. This has been developed with input from members, including unions, of the Covid Education Recovery Group (CERG) and draws on advice from the Advisory Sub-Group on Education and Children’s Issues.  

The approach reflects the current uncertainty around the Delta variant and the position post-summer, and the advice received that removal of some key mitigations in school environments is significantly easier than reintroduction.  

As referenced in the note, separate advice on ELC settings is expected to be produced and issued shortly. The ELC guidance is expected to reflect important key differences in the situation faced by schools and ELC settings, including that many ELC settings will be operating over the summer while local authority areas progress through different protection levels, and that some current mitigations result in capacity issues that will have a bearing on decisions that local authorities need to take about placements ahead of the next academic term.  

Download or View the document below:

Mitigations in schools post summer advice note June21

Scottish Pensions Bulletin No.60 May 2021

Pension contributions, from members and employers, are currently managed by 11 different pension funds across Scotland. Some are small – £400m – and some are huge – £27bn at Strathclyde. Most funds simply pass the funds to external investment managers to invest.

Pension contributions, from members and employers, are currently managed by 11 different pension funds across Scotland. Some are small – £400m – and some are huge – £27bn at Strathclyde. Most funds simply pass the funds to external investment managers to invest. Research by UNISON and the LGPS Scheme Advisory Board suggests that funds, and therefore members, are being ripped off. A single fund for Scotland could save £100m a year, according to Lothian Pension Fund by getting economies of scale, bringing some investment management in-house, and exposing the vast hidden fees which are charged at every opportunity. A bigger single fund could al-so improve the “Environment, Social and Governance” (ESG) of investments, helping to drop fossil fuel investments and invest more ethically. It could even help more local investment using in-house expertise. Read more..

Scottish Pensions Bulletin No. 60 May 2021

–

Online Courses – places available

Course Application Form
2021 Training Programme july-dec

Please find below details of July online training courses where we still have availability.  If you are interested in attending any of these courses please arrange for the attached booking form to be completed and then forward to activisteducationscotland@unison.co.uk as soon as possible.  Please note that all of the courses are subject to numbers:

  • Online Organising for Health & Safety (5, 6, 12, 13 July – 1.00-4.30 pm each day)
  • Online ERA Refresher (27, 28 July – 9.30 am – 1.00 pm each day)

Please also find attached calendar for details of all our courses for the remainder of the year (July Organising Stewards course is full).