The University of Stirling has lost a tribunal case brought by the UCU over the redundancy negotiations last year.

See the BBC Scotland News for more information

Also, see the UCU website for more information.

Edinburgh May Day March and Rally – 2nd May 2009

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Cuban revolution and whatever else can be said about Fidel Castro and the Cuban people they have shown remarkable courage and fortitude in enduring so many privations in the face of an economic embargo inflicted upon them by the United States of America over the past half century.

We are therefore delighted that representatives of the Cuban people will join us in Edinburgh to speak at May Day 2009 and explain what the overthrow of the Batista dictatorship meant to Cuba and what the 1959 revolution continues to achieve today.

Sharing the platform with our comrade from Cuba will be Aleida Guevara, daughter of Che Guevara (Invited), Hilary Wainright, editor of Red Pepper magazine, Matt Wrack the General Secretary of the Fire Brigades Union and Mark Lyon the Unite Convenor at Grangemouth Oil refinery who was, as you know, recently involved in strike action over employment rights in the construction and engineering industries.

As well as the political speeches there will be comedy from the inimitable Vladimir McTavish, music, stalls and the ever popular bouncy castle for the youngsters.

The march and rally assemble in East Market Street at 11.30, March at noon and Rally at the Scottish Parliament.

Gillian McKay
Regional Officer
Unite the UNION – Amicus Section

Telephone: Dundee Office 01382 226 268
Telephone: Edinburgh Office 08453450145

Read the latest Scottish Pensioners Forum Newsletter.

• Scottish Women’s Convention, International Women’sDay
• Gender Equality Duty Seminar

Scottish Women’s Convention – International Women’s Day

The Scottish Women’s Convention are holding an International Women’s Day Celebration in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament on Saturday 7 March 2009 at 12.30 – 4p.m. More details of the event can be found on their website. If you would like to register for the event please contact Mary Kerr at 0141 248 8186 or .

Gender Equality Duty Seminar – Menzies Hotel, Glasgow – 20th March 2009

Please find attached the programme for a FREE Gender Equality Duty seminar for trade union reps and officials that Close the Gap is holding on Friday 20 March 2009 from 9.30 to 1.30 at the Menzies Hotel in Glasgow.

All public sector employers now have a legal responsibility to tackle sex discrimination and promote equality between men and women. Trade union reps and officials can use the Gender Equality Duty and gender impact assessment to persuade employers to take action on unequal and unfair treatment of men and women workers and to:

• carry out equal pay audits;
• introduce or improve flexible working arrangements; and
• address ‘glass ceilings’ within workplaces.

This half-day event will give activists the opportunity to find out what the Gender Equality Duty is and how it can be used it in the workplace. It will also explain what gender impact assessment is and the role that reps should play in carrying these out. The seminar will consist of speakers, followed by some practical examples of how reps can use the duty.  Lunch will be provided after the seminar.

If you wish to attend please contact Shona Roberts at the address below, no later than Friday 13 March 2009:

Shona Roberts
Admin Assistant
Close the Gap
333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow G3 6NG
Fax: 0141 337 8101

The Annual General Meeting of the Higher Education Central and West of Scotland Branch will be held on Tuesday 20th January 2009 in room 407, Rankine Building (Faculty of Engineering), University of Glasgow, Oakfield Avenue at 12.00 p.m. The meeting will be followed at approx. 12.30 p.m. by an ordinary Branch meeting. Please note the change of venue and meeting time. In order to accommodate members’ travelling and other commitments, the Branch meetings will take place bi-monthly at 12.00 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month starting in March.

All Unite Amicus members are welcome – you don’t have to be a workplace rep to attend. Members are also eligible to stand for election at the A.G.M. as well as a delegate to the Constituency Labour party (C.L.P.). Please let me know please in advance of the meeting please if you have any C.L.P. nominations.

Look forward to seeing you at the meetings.
Regards,
Ken Mallard
Branch Secretary

• Equality Representatives’ Conference
• Members Enquiry Network
• TUC Regional Officer Seminars
• Campaign to End Child Poverty
• International world Psoriasis Day
• Diary Dates Read the rest of this entry »

• Keeping Mum
• STUC Black Workers Network
• Close the Gap – Legal Update Seminar
• Amendments to Sex Discrimination Act 1975
• Rape Crisis Scotland – Helpline
• Diary Dates Read the rest of this entry »

John Quigley regional secretary address

Unite has been doing some intense lobbying over the last few weeks to try to persuade the SNP government to award an £150m rail contract to Bombardier which employs 1,800 people at a site in Derby and uses a predominantly UK supply base, involving key Scottish suppliers. The union fears that the SNP will give the First Scot Rail contract for 120 new train carriages to train manufacturer Siemens which builds trains in the Czech Republic and fits them out in Germany. This is a prime opportunity for the SNP to back UK plc. If they award this lucrative contract to Bombardier thousands of Scottish and UK workers will benefit but if they give it to Siemens, jobs may even be lost. On top of this Siemens’ is fiercely anti-union and resists trade union representation in its plants. Unite is also supporting a private members bill by John Park MSP to increase the amount of apprentices in Scotland. At the moment we have a situation where employers complain there are not enough skilled workers. Take construction, bosses have been importing migrant workers to fill the skills gap, while at the same time, thousands of keen young people are being denied the opportunity to receive apprenticeship training. We want the government and employers to act now to start to provide our young people with the training and skills they need for their’s and Scotland’s future success. Read the rest of this entry »

• Young Members Course
• Amendments to Sex Discrimination Act 1975
• STUC Black Workers Network
• STUC/Runnymede Training Seminar
• Abortion – A Trade Union Issue
• Rape Crisis Scotland – Helpline
• Balls to Poverty
• Diary Dates Read the rest of this entry »

John Quigley, Regional Secretary welcome
I would like to wish you seasons greetings from Unite. It has been a historic year for your union. The merger between Amicus and the TGWU catapulted Unite on to the top spot of UK unions both in terms of size and influence.

Taking a moment to look back over 2007, we have seen a year where so many employers have gone on the offensive in pursuit of profit. Unfortunately, job security is the still the biggest issue affecting UK’s workers who live in fear of that ‘next round of redundancy’.

Read the rest of this entry »