MARCH FOR THE ALTERNATIVE

BIRMINGHAM 18TH SEPTEMBER

you are probably aware that the Lib-Dems are holding their

conference in Birmingham this year.

The TUC is organising a march and rally and UNISON is working closely with them. The march will be passing close to the conference.

We need to have as many people as possible to show the LibDems that there is an alternative and that they are not welcome in this City.

Co-operative Bank Launches Current Account Offer for 1.4 Million Unison Members

The Co-operative Bank and Britannia have extended its new current account offer to Unison members until 31 August 2011.

More info – coopbankcurrentaccountoffer

UNISON, the UK’s largest union, warned today that direct comparisons of average rates of private and public sector pay were meaningless, and should not be used as a stick to beat public sector workers with, or to divide workers in the public and private sectors.

Average comparisons are meaningless because a higher proportion of public sector jobs are skilled - in 2010, 38% of public sector workers had a degree or equivalent, compared with 23% in the private sector.

Outsourcing of the lowest paid public service jobs into the private sector, as well as the fact that there are also millions more workers in the private sector, employed across a much wider spread of wages – skews the figures even more.

More tellingly, ONS research today revealed that a comparison of employees with a degree or equivalent in both sectors – a fairer and more direct assessment – shows that those in the public sector earned 5.7% less than those with the same level of qualification working in the private sector.

Support public service workers strikes to protect pensions
On June 30th civil servants and teachers will be taking industrial action to defend their pensions against Government plans to make us work longer, pay more and get less.
UNISON gives its full support to our colleagues action (and we fully expect to be joining them later in the year!). we would urge all UNISON members to visit a picket line and offer support (it is always appreciated).

We can not instruct UNISON members in schools not to cross Teachers picket lines, but we can advise them to only undertake their own duties and not to do any tasks normally carried out by teachers.
If any UNISON member feels pressurised by their Head or managers, to do so, contact our office immediately .