Congratulations to our South Lanarkshire Branch on their successful Climate Challenge Fund bid. The ideas they come up with for greening the workplace could lead the way for similar union work across the public sector.
The project will focus on encouraging reduced emissions through energy efficiency and greener travel options. Members will be able to borrow energy monitors to check their energy use at home and develop alternative public transport plans for each workplace.
This project will demonstrate the contribution trade unions can make to tackling climate change in the workplace by engaging with our members on the issue. By doing so members will not only start to reduce their own emissions but will be more likely to demand action in the workplace. More than two thirds of carbon emissions are work related.
Most workplace projects on cutting carbon are led by employers. A bottom up project, promoted by the trade union, stands a much better chance of winning workforce support and making the real changes needed. UNISON Scotland campaigned for the Climate Change (S) Act 2009 to be as strong as possible with a clear duty on the public sector, ensuring it leads by example. All public bodies need to comply with that duty from January next year and we are calling for negotiated green workplace agreements to help them do that.
We have issued guidance to Scottish branches and there is now a detailed UNISON Greening the Workplace toolkit that shows just how to do this. In times of financial crisis greening the workplace is not just good for the planet - it makes economic sense as well.
Wednesday, 31 March 2010
Tuesday, 30 March 2010
Defend Scotland's Water
Today we have launched a policy briefing Defend Scotland’s Water in response to a concerted campaign to use the financial crisis as cover for the privatisation of Scotland’s water.
Essentially the sharks are circling again around Scotland’s greatest asset – our water. The regulatory regime has been preparing Scottish Water for privatisation for some time, driven by the ideological zeal of the Water Industry Commission Chair, Sir Ian Byatt. He has been joined by the SFT led by another privatisation advocate and banker, Sir Angus Grossart. This briefing makes it crystal clear that water is both an essential public service and, given the global water crisis, one of Scotland’s greatest economic assets.
The briefing outlines the huge costs of privatisation to the water charge payer and to the continued ‘marking down’ of the value of Scottish Water’s assets, from £15bn when the corporation was created, down to current discussions of around £1bn. This is in order to make the package an attractive price for the private sector.
We have also rejected the supposed ‘alternative’ of mutualisation. In a capital intensive industry like water, mutualisation is not a co-operative solution. All services would be delivered by private water companies with all the costs of privatisation. It sounds cuddly and safe, but in reality it is a Trojan horse for privatisation.
The real alternative is to join with the worldwide movement in favour of democratisation of this essential service.
Essentially the sharks are circling again around Scotland’s greatest asset – our water. The regulatory regime has been preparing Scottish Water for privatisation for some time, driven by the ideological zeal of the Water Industry Commission Chair, Sir Ian Byatt. He has been joined by the SFT led by another privatisation advocate and banker, Sir Angus Grossart. This briefing makes it crystal clear that water is both an essential public service and, given the global water crisis, one of Scotland’s greatest economic assets.
The briefing outlines the huge costs of privatisation to the water charge payer and to the continued ‘marking down’ of the value of Scottish Water’s assets, from £15bn when the corporation was created, down to current discussions of around £1bn. This is in order to make the package an attractive price for the private sector.
We have also rejected the supposed ‘alternative’ of mutualisation. In a capital intensive industry like water, mutualisation is not a co-operative solution. All services would be delivered by private water companies with all the costs of privatisation. It sounds cuddly and safe, but in reality it is a Trojan horse for privatisation.
The real alternative is to join with the worldwide movement in favour of democratisation of this essential service.
Monday, 29 March 2010
Scottish Labour Party Conference
The Scottish Labour Party spring conference was held on Saturday. The normal annual conference has been moved to October to enable the policy programme for the 2011 Scottish Parliament elections to be agreed.
One day conferences in the run up to a general election are inevitably going to look and feel like a rally. None the less there was time for substantive contributions from the floor. UNISON’s Gordon McKay gave a very clear analysis of why Scottish Labour should oppose PFI and adopt our sustainable approach to capital funding. Many other speakers and film clips highlighted the impact of public service cuts on our communities.
Iain Gray’s speech was well received both for its content and its presentation. The contrast between serious politicians for serious times was a mainstream theme throughout the conference. The Prime Minister’s speech of course makes this contrast most apparent.
And of course we had John Prescott and his GoFourth campaign. Good old fashioned barnstorming performance, full of knock about politics. A real contrast with the Facebook/Twitter generation of political campaigning – but entertaining none the less!
One day conferences in the run up to a general election are inevitably going to look and feel like a rally. None the less there was time for substantive contributions from the floor. UNISON’s Gordon McKay gave a very clear analysis of why Scottish Labour should oppose PFI and adopt our sustainable approach to capital funding. Many other speakers and film clips highlighted the impact of public service cuts on our communities.
Iain Gray’s speech was well received both for its content and its presentation. The contrast between serious politicians for serious times was a mainstream theme throughout the conference. The Prime Minister’s speech of course makes this contrast most apparent.
And of course we had John Prescott and his GoFourth campaign. Good old fashioned barnstorming performance, full of knock about politics. A real contrast with the Facebook/Twitter generation of political campaigning – but entertaining none the less!
Friday, 26 March 2010
Scottish budget impact
I made a detailed presentation to our organising staff yesterday on our analysis of the budget position. This reflected the UK budget on Wednesday and our best estimate of the likely position over the next few years.
What is clear is the significant disconnect between the broadly standstill Scottish Government allocations to councils and health boards and the huge cuts these organisations are planning in the coming financial year. The picture is still limited as not all decisions have been made, but so far we have identified cuts of £553m and job losses of 6464. I believe the reasons for this disconnect include:
• Real inflation exceeds GDP inflator (particularly energy costs)
• Increased demand on services during recession
• Concordat and other service growth (e.g. class sizes)
• Organisations are strengthening their unallocated balances
• Most cuts will have only a part year impact
• Public service organisations are assuming greater cuts over next 3-5 years and are starting to make those cuts now.
These points are reflected in our evidence, submitted today, to the Scottish Parliament Finance Committee inquiry on future budget strategy. We also examine the responses being considered by some councils and set out our alternative budget strategy.
The current financial crisis is being used by those whose Neo-Liberal market ideology got us into this financial crisis, to reshape public services on the basis of their failed ideology. Cutting public services is not the only way to cut debt. Raising taxes for those who can afford to pay more and clamping down on tax avoidance will also reduce the deficit. As will cutting out wasteful spending including PPP schemes, Trident and private consultants.
I finished the day at the AGM of our NHS Glasgow & Clyde Branch. This is the largest health union branch in the UK with nearly 17,000 members. Their health board is planning around £61m of cuts in the coming year impacting on a wide range of services. This is the sharp end of the budget impact outlined above. Workers and communities paying the price for the failure of free market economics.
What is clear is the significant disconnect between the broadly standstill Scottish Government allocations to councils and health boards and the huge cuts these organisations are planning in the coming financial year. The picture is still limited as not all decisions have been made, but so far we have identified cuts of £553m and job losses of 6464. I believe the reasons for this disconnect include:
• Real inflation exceeds GDP inflator (particularly energy costs)
• Increased demand on services during recession
• Concordat and other service growth (e.g. class sizes)
• Organisations are strengthening their unallocated balances
• Most cuts will have only a part year impact
• Public service organisations are assuming greater cuts over next 3-5 years and are starting to make those cuts now.
These points are reflected in our evidence, submitted today, to the Scottish Parliament Finance Committee inquiry on future budget strategy. We also examine the responses being considered by some councils and set out our alternative budget strategy.
The current financial crisis is being used by those whose Neo-Liberal market ideology got us into this financial crisis, to reshape public services on the basis of their failed ideology. Cutting public services is not the only way to cut debt. Raising taxes for those who can afford to pay more and clamping down on tax avoidance will also reduce the deficit. As will cutting out wasteful spending including PPP schemes, Trident and private consultants.
I finished the day at the AGM of our NHS Glasgow & Clyde Branch. This is the largest health union branch in the UK with nearly 17,000 members. Their health board is planning around £61m of cuts in the coming year impacting on a wide range of services. This is the sharp end of the budget impact outlined above. Workers and communities paying the price for the failure of free market economics.
Wednesday, 24 March 2010
UK Budget
UK budget day and a few more cheers than we might have expected. Welcome extensions to the Future Jobs Fund and training guarantees, support to first time buyers, child benefit and continuing the winter fuel allowances. There is also some indication that the Chancellor has been listening to our calls for cutting waste from central government, by cutting back on management consultants.
The measures on taxation for the very rich are also a step in the left direction, although some way short of the progressive taxation regime we would wish for. Some action on tax avoidance is also welcome and including Belize in the package was a nice bit of politics. However, awaiting international action on financial transactions sounds like a long process.
The big downside is that again it is public services that have to pay the price for the mess neo-liberal economics have got us into. Pay rises below inflation and public spending cuts over the next three to five years at least. It needed a far more radical budget than this to chart a different course, although the modest Barnett consequentials this coming year are welcome.
There are some interesting details in the Red Book on my first skim read. Some detailed work being undertaken on the Calman taxation recommendations and upward revised figures on the tax take if a Scottish Government used the current tax variation powers.
Overall a budget that took some helpful steps in the direction we have been advocating, but not nearly radical enough. I suppose we should just be grateful that it was not George Osborne at the dispatch box. His prescription would send us tumbling back into the recession – and that is the real choice in the coming election.
The measures on taxation for the very rich are also a step in the left direction, although some way short of the progressive taxation regime we would wish for. Some action on tax avoidance is also welcome and including Belize in the package was a nice bit of politics. However, awaiting international action on financial transactions sounds like a long process.
The big downside is that again it is public services that have to pay the price for the mess neo-liberal economics have got us into. Pay rises below inflation and public spending cuts over the next three to five years at least. It needed a far more radical budget than this to chart a different course, although the modest Barnett consequentials this coming year are welcome.
There are some interesting details in the Red Book on my first skim read. Some detailed work being undertaken on the Calman taxation recommendations and upward revised figures on the tax take if a Scottish Government used the current tax variation powers.
Overall a budget that took some helpful steps in the direction we have been advocating, but not nearly radical enough. I suppose we should just be grateful that it was not George Osborne at the dispatch box. His prescription would send us tumbling back into the recession – and that is the real choice in the coming election.
Tuesday, 23 March 2010
Management consultants update
Our story on management consultants got very wide coverage today.
I particularly liked this comment on the Scotsman site:
"The la Bonbon Public Affairs Consultancy stands ready to assist our councils and quangos to develop new and discreet area-focused methodologies to downsize their expenditure on external consultants. With our renowned holistic goldfish bowl facilitated webinars and joined up situational thought shower-focused engagement facilitation competencies, my associates and I will soon re-weave your revenue streams and revitalise stakeholder blue-sky thinking outside the box, achieving transformational rebaselining of the bottom line. Ask about our discounts for cash."
As someone who has had to sit through many a jargon ridden presentation by consultants this says it all. My particular hate is "human capital". No, workers are real people not some accountancy spin off!
I particularly liked this comment on the Scotsman site:
"The la Bonbon Public Affairs Consultancy stands ready to assist our councils and quangos to develop new and discreet area-focused methodologies to downsize their expenditure on external consultants. With our renowned holistic goldfish bowl facilitated webinars and joined up situational thought shower-focused engagement facilitation competencies, my associates and I will soon re-weave your revenue streams and revitalise stakeholder blue-sky thinking outside the box, achieving transformational rebaselining of the bottom line. Ask about our discounts for cash."
As someone who has had to sit through many a jargon ridden presentation by consultants this says it all. My particular hate is "human capital". No, workers are real people not some accountancy spin off!
Monday, 22 March 2010
Management Consultants
Today we have published our latest research on the use of management consultants. Savings of over £40m could be made from local council costs, by cutting back on the amount of use they make of private consultancy firms.
Using the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act (FOI), we asked all councils what they spent on consultants last year, and the figures show that last year councils poured over £42m of public money into the pockets of these private firms. In an earlier blog message I highlighted figures that show nearly £6m of this went to one firm – KPMG, who are busy advising Scotland’s councils where they can save money by cutting services, staff and conditions.
With the UK Budget due on Wednesday, Alastair Darling might want to take a second look at UNISON’s alternative budget that highlights how much could be saved from wasteful spending, including by ending the use of consultants.
Top of the league table on consultant spend last year is City of Edinburgh, where the council is investigating outsourcing a huge raft of public services. They spent £6.4m last year on consultants. One consultant was adviser to Lehmann Brothers, Ernst & Young. It is scandalous that it is same firm that endorsed Lehman Brothers’ methods of business (leading to the major world recession) is now advising massive privatisation to Edinburgh City as their solution to the financial crisis, earning a nice fee for them as consultants.
Using the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act (FOI), we asked all councils what they spent on consultants last year, and the figures show that last year councils poured over £42m of public money into the pockets of these private firms. In an earlier blog message I highlighted figures that show nearly £6m of this went to one firm – KPMG, who are busy advising Scotland’s councils where they can save money by cutting services, staff and conditions.
With the UK Budget due on Wednesday, Alastair Darling might want to take a second look at UNISON’s alternative budget that highlights how much could be saved from wasteful spending, including by ending the use of consultants.
Top of the league table on consultant spend last year is City of Edinburgh, where the council is investigating outsourcing a huge raft of public services. They spent £6.4m last year on consultants. One consultant was adviser to Lehmann Brothers, Ernst & Young. It is scandalous that it is same firm that endorsed Lehman Brothers’ methods of business (leading to the major world recession) is now advising massive privatisation to Edinburgh City as their solution to the financial crisis, earning a nice fee for them as consultants.
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