Unison Glasgow Clyde & CVS Branch 

UNISON stewards on site met recently with Clydebank Womens Aid, to discuss domestic violence and how it might affect women in the workplace. The session was prompted after a number of members who were the subjects of domestic violence found themselves in 'formal' processes.

Joint Convenor Sylvia McCulloch said, "UNISON stewards were becoming concerned at the apparent increase in formal procedures where the member had been subjected to domestic violence. All in we felt that the employers response was not always helpful or consistent and we wanted to engage in some learning so that we can better help members, but also so that we can be better informed than management colleagues."

Women's Aid operate an open door policy and can provide help and advice to any woman who is experiencing domestic violence. UNISON has a number of help and advice leaflets in the union office all enquiries are confidential.

Relations at the National Waiting Times Centre remain fraught after UNISON took the unusual decision to suspend partnership working in June of this year. The action was taken after NHS bosses took action which the union described as 'unfair'.

The suspension of partnership working does not mean that UNISON members interests are not being represented at NWTC with the union still pursuing countless individual cases and leading on issues such a Pay as if at Work and service redesigns.

UNISON remains committed to developing a postive industrial relations model and is in discussion with the Scottish Government over our concerns.

Formerly a private hospital and hotel complex (HCI) the Golden Jubilee National Waiting Times Centre and Beardmore Hotel were returned to public ownership by the then Scottish Executive.

Since then the site has been used to help reduce waiting times for specialist surgery and is the West of Scotland Centre for Heart and Lung surgery.

UNISON is the single biggest union on site with almost 400 members across every working group. The union has been actively involved in campaigns around fair pay and bullying at work.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/I-support-Unison-members-at-The-Beardmore-Hotel/263451417000998

UNISON members at GJNH and Beardmore Hotel did their bit to support the unions pension strike on Wed 30 Nov. Whilst some were required to work to maintain life and limb cover many more lost a days pay to help send a clear message to the UK Government over their plans to make public sector workers pay more, work longer and get less.

It’s more than 40 years since a group of young communist shop stewards decided to organise local ship yard workers faced with being thrown on the scrap heap following a decision to close their yards.

The dispute ‘electrified’ Scotland and the UK and drew support from mega stars of the day such a John Lennon and led to marches and demo’s on the streets of Glasgow.

Now 40 years on a group of young men and women have gotten organised in their attempt to secure stable employment, fair and equal pay and respect at their place of work.

These ‘clydeside’ workers are employed at the Beardmore Hotel – a part of the Golden Jubilee Hospital (owned by our NHS). Their fight centres around a dispute over their employment status and rate of pay. Their employer disputes their claim that they are NHS workers and are entitled to the same pay as other NHS workers.

Branch Secretary Cathy Miller said, "Workers on the Clyde have a proud history and fighting for their rights and UNISON has a strong track record of defending our members. This is a simple dispute, it's about wages, fairness, equality and respect. UNISON members and members of the labour movement should get behind the latest campaign for a fair deal on the Clyde."