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EIS EVENT 20TH JUNE

June 13th, 2022

Scottish Union Learning STUC. The event will act as a follow-up to the hugely successful event recently held by Scottish Union Learning, where we invited artist and songwriter Luca Manning to deliver a class on the reinterpretation of song and song writing. This event looks to be an interesting and informative one, with Luca once […]

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MEDIA COVERAGE OF PAY BALLOT

Some excellent coverage of our LG industrial action ballot – links below https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/in-your-area/renfrewshire/pay-row-could-see-schools-27179860   https://news.stv.tv/scotland/unison-union-members-to-vote-on-strike-action-over-2-pay-rise-which-amounts-to-pay-cut   https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/homenews/20201345.public-services-risk-row-erupts-sturgeon-refusal-discuss-scots-councils-funding/   https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/v/council-workers-vote-on-strike-that-could-close-scotlands-schools   https://planetradio.co.uk/clyde/local/news/unison-pay-strike-threat/   https://www.bordertelegraph.com/news/20200389.borders-schools-forced-close-summer-holidays-due-pay-dispute/   https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/strike-ballot-could-see-scottish-schools-close-after-summer   https://www.dng24.co.uk/summer-of-strikes-ahead/   https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2022/06/10/nicola-sturgeon-collision-course-teachers-binmen-pay/   https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-61752869   https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/8996135/scots-schools-close-staff-to-vote-strike-over-pay/    

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Local government unions reject pay offer outright

March 4th, 2022

4th March 2022. Local government trade unions have today (Friday) rejected outright a pay offer from COSLA which would have seen a percentage increase that fell far short of both the trade union claim and the current rates of inflation. Describing the offer as an insult to their members the trade unions stated that it […]

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Jimmy Reid Foundation event ‘Women in Unions: Advancing their interests’ 2 March 2022, 7pm

February 25th, 2022

Friday 25th February 2022. In advance of International Women’s Day the Jimmy Reid Foundation is holding an online rally ‘Women in unions: advancing their interests’ on 2 March 2022 at 7pm with Christina McAnea, Shavanah Taj and Roz Foyer discussing the issues, ideas and strategies. Some of our 1 million women members will be interested […]

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Social Care – Letter Sign Up Campaign

February 11th, 2022

11th February 2022 The campaign is now live, here are some easy access links:- https://www.facebook.com/careworkers4changescotland – launch video here https://www.facebook.com/unisonscot – post on regional account here https://twitter.com/unisonscot/status/1492114493337645056 – twitter thread here https://www.instagram.com/unison_scotland/ – instagram and stories here https://unison-scotland.org/keep-our-carers-in-care/ – and of course the msp letter campaign page Thanks very much for your support!

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Care about Social Care?

11th February 2022 We are asking Social Care Workers and members of the public to get involved and support our campaign! Send an automatically generated and customisable letter addressed to the Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care, Kevin Stewart MSP and each of the MSPs in your area and ask that they back our […]

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Social Work and the Covid Pandemic

February 2nd, 2022

UNISON is conducting this survey to find out about your recent experiences of working in social work, and those of thousands of others employed in this challenging sector. We want to be able to tell the public the truth about the scale of the problems facing social work staff, especially during the pandemic. We also […]

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Local government unions call for a ‘fair and decent’ pay increase as they submit joint pay claim

January 19th, 2022

18 January 2022 Local government trade unions have today (Tuesday) submitted a joint pay claim to COSLA calling for a ‘fair and decent’ pay increase to make up for decades of cuts and to recognise the vital role these workers have played during the pandemic. The three trade unions – UNISON, Unite and GMB – […]

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ATTENTION RECENTLY RETIRED MEMBERS

January 18th, 2022

You may already be aware that Dumfries & Galloway Council Employees have been awarded a pay increase which came into effect this month, backdated to January 2021. Retired Members who left Council Employment last year will need to claim the money by contacting the Transactions Team stating your full name, home address and employee number. Contact […]

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Government guidance for schools increases Covid risk and threatens learning, warns UNISON.

January 11th, 2022

10 January 2022 Unsafe practices and inappropriate arrangements to cover for teachers aren’t the way to protect education. Using support staff to cover for teachers isolating with Covid is the wrong approach to dealing with the school staffing crisis and ensuring pupils’ education continues, says UNISON today (Monday). This week, the Department for Education (DfE) […]

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UPDATE ON SELF-ISOLATION FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE STAFF

January 6th, 2022

POLICY FRAMEWORK ON RETURN TO WORK FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE STAFF FOLLOWING CLOSE CONTACT WITH A POSITIVE COVID-19 CASE Updated 6th January 2022 Deputy Chief Medical Officer Graham Ellis Deputy Chief Nursing Officer Anne Armstrong The Scottish Government Health Workforce Directorate Gillian Russell The Scottish Government Social Care Directorate Donna Bell Dear Colleagues UPDATE […]

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A MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OUR MEMBERS

December 23rd, 2021

A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our Members. The Branch Office will be closed from Friday 24th December 2021 to Tuesday 4th January 2022 inclusive.  

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Pay Increase and Backdated Pay: Amounts and Timetable

December 14th, 2021

This is a short but important note to confirm that agreement has now been reached at a national level on the 2021/22 pay award for all public sector employees who are paid under SJC (Scottish Joint Council for Local Government Employees) terms and conditions of service. This agreement includes most Dumfries and Galloway Council employees […]

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Scotland in UNISON 153 December 2021

December 10th, 2021

150,000 call for action on climate change; Investment in social work critical to keep the Promise; Pension talks to resume at Dundee University as strike action pays off; Social care staff shortages at ‘critical level’ UNISON tells Holyrood; UNISON strike threat secures new offer for hard pressed council workers ; 2022 to be Year of […]

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COVID-19 FIRST MINISTER’S STATEMENT

December 9th, 2021

7 December 2021 The First Minister provided an update on the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus) in Scotland. In particular, the First Minister outlined the actions that we are all being asked to take in order to minimise the spread of the virus. It is hoped that through our collective actions, it will minimise the need […]

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UNISON demands urgent action to address NHS staffing crisis

December 8th, 2021

7 December 2021. Responding to official figures released today (Tuesday) that vacancies for nurses and midwives have increased by almost 20 per cent in three months, Willie Duffy, UNISON Scotland’s head of health said: “Lack of planning for a global pandemic left the UK and the NHS exposed like never before. “NHS workers are overworked, […]

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DO YOU WANT TO BE A UNISON CONTACT?

December 7th, 2021

Our volunteer Workplace Contacts play a vital day-to-day role in helping UNISON members.   As a Workplace Contact you: Share information with colleagues and other UNISON members   Keep notice boards up to date with UNISON information   Have regular conversations with members in the workplace   Support people looking to join UNISON   Email info@unisondumfries.co.uk […]

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Public service workers want an ethical local government pension fund, says UNISON

December 6th, 2021

3 December 2021. In a UNISON survey of over 6000 local government pension fund members almost 9 in 10 (88%) are calling for their pension funds to be invested ethically. The Local Government Pension Scheme in Scotland holds assets worth over £46 billion. Fiduciary duty requires that the primary purpose of investing those assets is […]

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e-brief Keeping the Promise: Actions for branches to take

December 3rd, 2021

30 November 2021 This briefing for UNISON local government branches provides action points to help make sure that The Promise is kept within core frontline social work services. UNISON’s children and families social work members fully support The Promise – the plan for reforming the care system for children set out by the Independent Care […]

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UNISON vote settles 2021 local government pay dispute

December 2nd, 2021

29 November 2021 Members of Scotland’s largest local government union have voted to accept a pay deal after the union secured an additional £48m funding on the paybill for an improved offer from COSLA. UNISON announced the result of its ballot today (Monday) with more than 75% voting in favour of the offer. It means […]

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UNISON Scotland Care Futures No 8

November 25th, 2021

The 8th edition of UNISON Scotland’s Care Futures is now available via the link below. It details some of the suggestions made to the Scottish Government in our response to the consultation on the setting up of a National Care Service. UNISON Scotland Care Futures No 8 – UNISON Scotland (unison-scotland.org)

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Social work staff call on Scottish Government to ‘keep the promise’ to children, says UNISON

November 23rd, 2021

23 November 2021 Social work staff are struggling to deliver the services that children and families need due to understaffing, underfunding and a lack of resources, according to a UNISON survey published today (Tuesday). UNISON, the union for social work staff, says that without the proper funding, the Scottish Government will be unable to deliver […]

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Local Government Pay Ballot

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DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY BRANCH AGM 2022 – CALLING NOTICE

November 17th, 2021

Dumfries & Galloway Branch AGM 2022 – CALLING NOTICE All Members are invited to attend the Annual General Meeting of Dumfries & Galloway Branch on Thursday 24th February, 2022 by Teams, but this may change to a physical meeting if Covid restrictions allow. Nominations for Branch Officers must be notified to the Branch office by […]

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Care Futures 7 – the Staff Shortages Survey

November 15th, 2021

Care Futures 7 – The Staff Shortages Survey

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Local Government Pay 2021

November 8th, 2021

Our consultative ballot on the revised LG pay offer will go live on Monday 8th November and run till Monday 29th November.

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UNISON strike threat gains £48m for hard pressed local government staff

November 1st, 2021

29 October 2021 Strike threats from UNISON have won an improved £48m pay offer from COSLA. The union have suspended strikes across Scotland while they consult UNISON members. The offer comes after UNISON had threatened to call out school cleaners, school caterers, school janitors, waste, recycling and fleet maintenance service workers or 5 days of strike […]

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Breaking News

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Council workers across Scotland set to strike over pay.

October 27th, 2021

Unfortunately the 50% ballot turnout threshold set in the Trade Union Act 2017 was not met by the Dumfries & Galloway Branch. This means that we will not be able to proceed to take action in this local authority in relation to the 2021 pay offer for the SJC workforce. The following article relates to […]

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RETIRED MEMBERS NEWS OCTOBER 2021

October 20th, 2021

Click on the link below to see this month’s news. Retired members newsletter No 26 October 2021 – UNISON Scotland 

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