AGM News

Branch AGMs – please put these dates in your diary and come along online or in person

AGM votingAberdeenshire UNISON will hold two aggregate AGMs this year, one online and one in person, to enable as many members as possible to attend. 

The first AGM will be held on Tuesday 14th Feb 2023, 7pm -9pm on Microsoft Teams Click here to join the meeting

The second in-person AGM will be held on Wednesday 15th Feb 2023 7pm-9pm in the Kintore Arms Hotel, Inverurie, AB51 3QJ

Please do your best to attend one of the above meetings.

Nominations for officer posts 
AGM votingNominations are invited for Branch Officer posts, and a brief outline of the duties of these posts can be found HERE. Any nominations should be made using the nomination form HERE and ideally posted back to ‘FREEPOST UNISON GRAMPIAN’ (no address or stamp required). Nomination forms are to be received by Tuesday 31st January 2023.

After then, elections will take place prior to the AGM if any posts are contested, and positions will be notified. Nominations are also invited for stewards. If you are interested in taking on the role of steward for your section/workplace/department but are not sure what it entails, then please get in touch and we can discuss this further. Nominations for stewards should again be made using the nomination form HERE and posted back to ‘FREEPOST UNISON GRAMPIAN’ (no address or stamp required) by no later than Tuesday 31st January 2023.

Nominations for stewards
Nomination forms for officers and stewards must be signed by 2 UNISON members supporting the nomination. Ideally these should be returned by post, but the completed form can be scanned and returned to grampianresourcecentre@unison.co.uk if this is not possible.

PLEASE NOTE, IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT EXISTING OFFICERS AND STEWARDS – WHO WISH TO CONTINUE IN POST – COMPLETE AND RETURN A NOMINATION FORM.

Motions
Motions, and any other business for consideration at the Annual General Meeting, are also invited. These should be sent (preferably typed) to me at the above address no later than Tuesday 31st January 2023. Motions should be signed by at least two members. The final agenda will be issued no later than Monday 6th February 2023.

Branch secretary, Inez Kirk said: “We are urging members to get along to one of these AGMs. This has been a very busy year for the branch and the union in Scotland. The predominant issue has been the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic and the effects on the workforce and new ways of working. We have seen employer budgets put under immense strain and that is affecting workplaces and the future of services.

“Pay has been a significant issue, with Aberdeenshire UNISON delivering their second successful ballot for industrial action, action which forced the employer’s side and Scottish Government back round the table. Although the resulting improvement was not perfect by any means it delivered the highest pay award for over 20 years. We will need to maintain this trajectory, fighting for our pay and services, together we can.

Kate Ramsden“Our third sector members have not been so lucky, they find themselves working for the government’s ‘care’ living wage, which was never envisioned to be the rate of pay for all but was supposed to be the bare minimum workers could be paid.

“There has been increasing demands on services and the workload and stress on staff has increased exponentially.

The future is uncertain, and we know local authorities face huge budget shortfalls and this will knock on to other providers as they will be asked to do more for less money.

“The Scottish Government National Care Service NCS is rumbling along in the background. Make no mistake this is not the National Health Service, it does nothing to take profit out of care or raise pay and conditions. It decimates Local Government and takes democratic accountability away and puts it into another centralised quango. Local Government employees in care and social work stand to be transferred to this agency, this will not improve pay and conditions and will see pensions for Local Government staff taking a hammering. Pensions that have been worked hard for.

“All of our activists have been working hard to ensure you are safe and respected in your roles, but we need you, our members, to help shape the future of how we go forward and represent your views in the new landscape we find ourselves in.

“We have developed our representation and are looking to you to help shape that further to better represent you within the employers and within the branch. The branch have increased participation in our self-organised groups, looking to create a branch that is accessible to all.

“We need to continue our efforts and embed the advances made to ensure that the future for our members and our Union remains secure and sustainable.

“Please put the date in your diaries and play your part in shaping your UNISON to tackle the issues that are most pertinent to you and hear about our work throughout the year.

“This is your union and your chance to have your say.”