Dawn raids slammed as UNISON issues guidance on asylum seeker children

UNISON and the British Association of Social Workers (BASW) have launched a guidance booklet for social workers in Scotland. It advises on ethical practice for social work staff dealing with asylum-seeker children. http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/siu/oct06/22.html

A commitment was made by the UK Immigration Minister back in March to ensure that asylum-seekers' children would be assessed and each would have a lead professional appointed. In addition immigration staff dealing with children would have to have enhanced disclosure checks. These commitments have not yet been implemented, but UNISON is exerting more pressure following a spate of recent 'dawn raids' by immigration officials outwith the agreed protocol.

No Place for a Child - Stop detaining children now, says campaign

More than two thousand children a year are locked up by the UK Government for immigration purposes. Save the Children and others are calling on the Home Secretary Charles Clarke to end this inhumane and unnecessary practice and use viable alternatives that take into account children's welfare. http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/siu/mayjune06/13.html 

These children have not committed any crime but are held behind locked doors and high barbed wire fences. Five years ago it was rare for families and children to be detained for immigration purposes.

Now, members of the No Place for a Child coalition have documented detentions lasting anything from 7 to 268 days. Children feel that they are being punished and do not understand why.

Memorial to 'working class hero' Michael McGahey unveiled

Ex UNISON General Secretary Rodney Bickerstaffe unveiled a statue to mark the 10th Anniversary of Mick McGahey's address to the Midlothian TUC Worker's Memorial Day event. http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/siu/mayjune06/12.html

The Annual Memorial Day Commemoration was held at George V Park, Bonnyrigg followed by the unveiling. UNISON made a substantial donation to the memorial and, among others, was represented by Mick McGahey jnr, Matt Smith (UNISON Scottish Secretary), Agnes Petkevicius, Tom Waterson, John Stevenson and Lui Giacomello. Edinburgh, Midlothian and Lothian Health UNISON Branches laid wreaths at the Workers Memorial Day garden.

Consensus Conference - well, most of the time

Thabitha Khumalo

UNISON Conference 2006: Consensus and a common purpose was the theme of this year's Conference. A good thing when we have huge fights ahead of us on pensions and defending public services.  

However it does make for a bit of a dull Conference.

Lively debate broke out on the public services, pensions and international debates but the defining point in the week was the moving and inspirational speech by Thabitha Khumalo of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions.

'Momentous occasion' as Palestinian and Israeli trade unionists meet

Mike Kirby

UNISON's Mike Kirby hosted 'momentous' meetings at the STUC bringing together reps from the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU) and the Israeli Histadrut trade union federation http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/siu/aprmay06/4.html

"It is a momentous occasion to have representatives of the Histradut and the PGFTU together at the STUC", Mike told the congress in Perth.

UNISON Scotland had given financial support to make the dialogue possible and hosted a fringe meeting on workers' rights in Palestine, the Occupied Territories and Israel.

Help bring dignity to Zimbabwean women in their fight

With Thabitha at STUC 2006

Being a woman in Zimbabwe is like going to war with a gun minus bullets. Sanitary towels are now threatening the Zimbabwean woman's livelihood.http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/siu/aprmay06/9.html

Zimbabwean trade unionist Thabitha Khumalo told the STUC, "On a wage of £3, with sanitary towels costing £3, women have to choose between sanitary towels or food for their children. You know what they choose".

They've picked the wrong fight on pensions

Speech to Edinburgh pensions Rally 28 March 2006: This morning, several of us here went to St Andrews House to see and deliver a letter to Tom McCabe, the Scottish Executive Minister for Finance and Local Government Reform. The man who says he's going to cut your pension rights in Scotland.

Our letter told him that the arbitrary decision he made about pensions undermined everything the Executive had said before about valuing the work of local government staff, delivering first class public services - very often in very difficult circumstances.

Edinburgh votes NO to housing stock transfer

Click here for campaign broadsheet

Edinburgh's council tenants have vote NO to housing transfer by 53% to 47% on a 60% turnout, despite a huge and costly campaign by the council. UNISON is now calling on the council to explore the other options that already exist to finance public housing and bring the improvements and new builds that are needed. http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/siu/dec05/10.html

"The Government can start by respecting tenants' views and writing off the debt. It was ridiculous that the Government would only write off the debt if tenants voted the way they wanted. Clearly Edinburgh tenants were angry at that blackmail", said Edinburgh UNISON Branch Secretary John Stevenson.

"Tenants have clearly said they want their public housing to remain public. They want their housing to be democratically accountable. They want everyone to learn the lessons of the stock transfers elsewhere, not least in Glasgow.

Make Poverty History: Biggest demonstration Scotland has ever seen

Organisers and police said there were 225,000 there. Old demonstration hands put it at nearer 300,000. There were certainly lots of us with the trade union contingent marching off five hours after the first of the continuous line set off to circle the city centre. http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/siu/septoct05/6.html 

UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis was even called away to make his speech before the march set off.

UNISON banners were there from Aberdeen to Hounslow via Edinburgh, Nottinghamshire and Bristol. UNISON members from across the country were dotted around the march.

Palestine - time to act on the real message of Christmas

'Greetings from the Holy City of Jerusalem', read the Christmas card to us from Mohammad Aruri of the Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU). http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/siu/dec04/2.html

A message of peace from a far from peaceful part of the world. A message of hope at a time of despair for Palestinians. And a message of respect for other's traditions, religions and cultures that is tragically missing at home and abroad.

Capital audit confirms resources are the key to child protection

http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/siu/nov04/17.html
UNISON's long campaign in Edinburgh to expose the lack of resources affecting child protection and child care work has been confirmed by an expert external audit of child protection. 

The council has responded positively by accepting all the recommendations and immediately pumping new money into buildings and IT support.

John Stevenson, Edinburgh UNISON branch secretary, said, "We welcome this action but it has been a long haul. We took a grievance to councillors as long ago as 2001 about this, and we argued that the O'Brien report into the death of Caleb Ness was flawed and had missed this point.

Can't praise nursery nurses highly enough

Nursery nurses have been an example to every other trade unionist throughout this dispute with their good nature, solid organisation and real commitment to the future of early years care and education.

They have achieved a 10 point pay rise, a substantial lump sum and one in three can go on to higher grades. That is the best I have seen achieved by any group in the last 20 years.

Child protection risk must be recognised

UNISON Scotland has called for the Scottish Executive to set up a standing system for inquiries into child protection crises as part of a plan to address the problems of social work across Scotland. http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/siu/siumay04.html#3 

The call was made by Edinburgh's John Stevenson at a UNISON Social Work Conference and in evidence to the Scottish Parliament Education Committee.

You never hear about social work until something goes wrong

You never hear about social work until something goes wrong. As many politicians admit, it is not a vote-catcher. Who wants to hear about families in crisis, children at risk, the elderly needing care or people with disabilities relying on support to keep their independence? (Opinion piece Evening News 27 April 2004)

Child Protection and the Trade Union

UNISON SOCIAL WORK CONFERENCE GLASGOW 24 MARCH 2004. Asking me to speak on Child Protection and the Trade Union is a dangerous thing because those who know me also know that I can bore at length on both at the drop of a hat. http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/socialwork/conf24mar.html

Child protecton: Time for calm analysis

UNISON Deputation to City of Edinburgh Council Meeting 16/10/03 On the Inquiry into the death of Caleb Ness. Let me say first that it is with immense sadness that UNISON comes with this deputation today. Before I say anything else, I think it is important to let you, and the public know how social workers - and indeed many staff and managers throughout the Council - have been feeling about the awful death of Caleb Ness. http://www.unison-edinburgh.org.uk/socialwork/swaddress.html

It's been a good day this week

UNISON Conference 2003: It's been a good day this week. Wednesday saw the best of Conference with a real debate on the political funds. But after that, it did get a wee bit shaky.

However, the passion of Stephen Lewis' contribution as UN special envoy on HIV/AIDS will live with many of us for a long time.

As usual Scotland played a major part in all the big debates. Jane Carolan, Mike Kirby and Pat Rowland to name just a few. Karie Murphy and David Connor played major roles on opposite sides of the political fund debate.

Emergency motion as Suu Kyi arrested again

http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/siu/siujune03.html#13
The democratically elected leader of Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been arrested again by the 'junta', heralding a sinister new crisis in the country. 

UNISONScotland has already called for Suu Kyi to be given honorary UNISON membership to raise the profile of human rights abuses in Burma, and UNISON's Edinburgh Branch is planning an emergency motion to National Conference. UNISON already has a campaign backing sanctions against Burma.

Child Protection Act

Conference 2003: This is just a brief contribution to ask that the NEC consults with the Scottish Region and the Scottish Trades Union Congress before issuing the guidance the motion asks for.

While the legislation in England & Wales broadly mirrors that in Scotland, there are significant differences between the 1989 Children Act and the Scottish 1995 Act. There is also a brand new piece of legislation in the Scottish Child Protection Act.

'Not in our name' say UNISON thousands

With estimates of up to 90,000 people rallying against war in Glasgow on 15 February, it was the biggest event to be seen in Scotland in modern times. http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/siu/siumar03.html#4 

But it hasn't stopped there. Over 7,000 people turned out in Edinburgh on 6 March to an early evening lobby of the Scottish Parliament as two marches from across the city merged.