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Your UNISON workplace rep is the most important link between the Branch and our members. There are different types of workplace representatives – please get involved to help protect local jobs and local services.
UNISON has these types of workplace representative :
1. Steward
A UNISON steward is a representative whose role includes organising, recruiting and representing members.
- Stewards in workplaces where UNISON is recognised by the employer have rights to time off for training and to carry out their union duties.
- Stewards have a right to be involved in how their branch is run.
2. Health and Safety Representative
A health and safety representative has the right to training and to raise issues which affect the health and safety of members.
- In some cases, the safety representative and steward are the same person but they have two separate roles.
- Safety representatives have specific duties and responsibilities and also have important legal rights.
3. Workplace contacts
Workplace contacts help distribute Branch information.
- Workplace contacts do not have access to the same rights as stewards, but can and do play an important role in helping groups of members to organise effectively.
- This is an ideal role for someone who is interested in becoming a steward or safety representative, but would like to find out more about what is involved.
Support and training
Support is available for UNISON reps from your Branch and Region, locally we run training courses for our reps throughout the year.
If you are interested in becoming active within the Branch, please contact us.
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Mental health is something no one should be afraid to talk about
Unions can play a positive role in promoting good mental health at work.
So start a conversation today.
Following the Unison members' vote by 91% to accept the pay offer we will advise the employer of our decision. Unfortunately we have to wait till the other 2 unions complete their consultation process. GMB are recommending acceptance of the offer (they delayed this consultation till now and won't complete it till near the end of February) and Unite have consulted and voted narrowly to reject the offer (they are now considering whether they should hold a 'statutory' ballot for strike action and whether they would be able to deliver effective action). Unison members by far out number the other 2 unions but we respect their right to complete their consultations. Unfortunately this will delay the timescale for paying out the pay rise. As soon as we have any more details we will let you know.
Pay offer acceptPress Release:
UNISON members overwhelmingly vote to accept pay offer for council workers
UNISON, the largest union in local government, have today informed COSLA that their members have overwhelmingly voted to accept the pay offer for local government workers.
The move follows a consultative ballot of UNISON Scotland local government members in which 91% voted in favour of the deal and in record numbers. UNISON’s ballot closed on Thursday 31 January.
Results of the ballot were announced at UNISON Scotland’s Local Government Committee today (Friday 1 February).
The pay offer would deliver 9.5% cost of living increase over three years: 3.5% for 2018-19, 3% for 2019-20 and 3% for 2020-21. In addition it provides a commitment to fully consolidating the living wage, putting more money in the pockets of lower paid council workers, something UNISON has been campaigning on for years.
It also provides a commitment to re-open negotiations in the event of another local government bargaining group’s total pay offer value is revised such that it becomes greater than the sum agreed between COSLA Employers and the SJC Trade Unions for the SJC workforce for the period of the agreement. The award will be backdated to 1 April 2018.
UNISON Head of local government Scotland Johanna Baxter said: “This is a great outcome, delivered as a direct result of the campaigning activity and political lobbying efforts of UNISON members up and down the country. The cost of living increases meet current and projected levels of RPI and we have secured commitments to fully consolidate the living wage and maintain parity across the local government workforce. Our members have been waiting on a pay increase for over a year now so look forward to receiving their increase soon."
UNISON chair of local government committee in Scotland Mark Ferguson said: “UNISON has campaigned hard to get the best deal we can for local government workers. While the offer does not make up for the many years of austerity, the offer, and particularly the commitment to consolidate the Living Wage, provides important safeguards for our lowest paid members.
"We will work to ensure this is properly delivered and local government workers will now receive back dated money in their pay packets in coming months.”
Notes:
- The improved pay offer has come after months of campaigning and negotiations by the SJC trades unions.
- The offer would deliver cost of living increases of 3.5% for 2018-19, 3% for 2019-20 and 3% for 2020-21. In addition it provides a commitment to fully consolidating the Living Wage and provides for negotiations to be re-opened in the event that any other local government bargaining group’s total pay offer value is revised such that it becomes greater than the sum agreed with the SJC trade unions.
- Read COSLA offer letter here: Formal SJC Pay Offer 191218
- UNISON are the largest trade union in Scottish Local Government – representing 80,000 local government workers across the
country – and the largest trade union in the UK.
Local government workers have endured a decade of austerity with job cuts, and a decade real terms pay cuts.
The online ballot closes Bert soon - if you haven't already voted please make your opinion count - vote!
You can vote on the revised pay offer here:-
unison.tfaforms.net/56 or you can phone 0800 0857 857.
Please note you will need your membership number or National Insurance number.
