News

A Happy Christmas and Peaceful New Year to all our members

… and especially to those working to keep Scotland’s essential services going over the holiday.

Thousands of public service workers will be at work delivering Scotland’s essential services over the festive holidays.

In local councils, the community and voluntary sector, health services, utilities and many other services, UNISON members will be working to ensure we are looked after and communities are kept safe.

Others have worked hard throughout the year and will be enjoying well-deserved time off.

Whichever group you are in, as your union branch, we want to thank you for all you do and to pledge that we will continue our efforts to ensure that the work you do is recognised, valued and rewarded.

Branch Secretary, Inez Kirk’s Christmas message as she looks back over an eventful year

Inez Kirk
Inez Kirk

It’s that time of year again where I offer my most sincere and heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you. It’s been some year!

We have been successful in delivering our second strike mandate in Local Government and done a great job in recruiting new members, all down to your hard work and determination. We have had our challenges but together we came through it all and stronger for it. I fear the challenges are only going to get harder as employers continue to try to save money whilst delivering more and more services. Covid has not gone away and the challenges from the lockdown and different ways of working appear to be here for the foreseeable future.

Inflation continues to stay high which means each and every one of us and our members are facing real cuts to their standards of living, just trying to stay warm is a challenge in itself.

Plans for the new year are already being formulated and together I know we will all rise to the occasion, growing our branch, supporting our members and fighting for what is right and just in this dystopian world we now find ourselves living in.

Bill Edwards
Bill Edwards

Best wishes to Bill on his retiral
We are sadly seeing some of our colleagues moving on to pastures new. Assistant Branch Secretary, Bill Edwards has been with us for longer than many of us and with the council for 32 years. His expertise and knowledge will be missed but I would like to pass on our heartfelt best wishes for everything he chooses to do in the future, don’t forget Bill we have a retired members section!

Please all enjoy your well deserved break, if you are getting one, if not I hope your work is filled with festive joy and you get a break soon?

Take care everyone and see you all soon.

Together we can change the world.