ATUC AGM on 4th March at 7.30pm - Come along and get involved

All delegates are urged to come along to the Aberdeen Trades Union Council Annual General Meeting on 4 March 2015, commencing at 7.30pm, in ATUC Premises, John Londragon House, 22a Adelphi, Aberdeen.

ATUC President, Alan Robertson said, "We have a packed agenda for the AGM including our guest speaker, Mark Pollit from TUC Education, Kelvin College, Glasgow. 

"We will be electing our office bearers for 2015-16 and there are a number of vacancies in key positions on the ATUC Executive which we really must fill if the ATUC is to continue its work over the coming year.

"We are about to circulate our Annual Report for 2014 which shows the breadth of our activities and those of our affiliates over the past year. We hope to go from strength to strength in the coming year but to do so, we will need the support and involvement of all our delegates and associates.

"We look forward to seeing you all on 4 March."

International Women's Day in Aberdeen - Making it Happen

Aberdeen  will celebrate  International Women's Day with two events this year.

The first is organised by Unite and will be a lunchtime event on Friday 6th March in the Unite Offices, 44-46 King Street, Aberdeen AB34 5JT.

The main speakers will be Donna Clark, an Aberdeen based Unite Activist, Aberdeen City Councillor Yvonne Allan, Agnes Tolmie , Unite  Executive Council Member and Chair of the Scottish Womens Convention  and  Elaine Dougall, Unite’s Regional  Women and Equalities Officer.

 

There will be light refreshments available from 12.30 until 13.00. 
 

All ATUC delegates are welcome, but as a buffet lunch will be provided, please contact the UNITE office on 01224 645271 or email: Susan.martin@unitetheunion.org to confirm your attendance by Wednesday 4^th March 2015.

 

On Sunday 8th March, Aberdeen City Council will bring together a significant number and a wide range of Aberdeen’s women  for an informal and relaxed afternoon of refreshments, entertainment & celebration.

The event will begin at 2.00pm in Aberdeen’s Beach Ballroom with registration, conversation and a refreshing drink. There will be a small number of display stalls to view at this time. 

ATUC condemns union busting at the heart of government

Aberdeen Trades Union Council has thrown its full weight behind the PCS union in its campaign against this UK Government’s union busting tactics in the civil service.  Delegates at the meeting on 4^th Feb condemned the slashing of facilities time for union reps by more than 60% and the ending of “check-off” – the decades old method through which employers collect union subscriptions direct from a member’s salary.

The ATUC called on the Labour Party to publicly pledge to reinstate check-off in the civil service if elected and to legislate for a statutory right for union members to have their subscriptions deducted through their salary.

Delegates will also email their MPs in support of the PCS (see model wording below) and called on the TUC, the STUC and all affiliates to give their full support to the fight against these union busting tactics.

Please come along to the next ATUC Delegates' Meeting on 4th February

The next ATUC Delegates meeting will take place on Wednesday 4th February 2015 at 7.30pm, within the ATUC Premises, John Londragan House, 22A Adelphi, Aberdeen. All delegates and associates are welcome to attend.

Alan Robertson, ATUC President said, "This is a very important meeting as it is the nominations meeting for all ATUC Posts as well as for delegates to the ATUC, STUC etc.

 "Also, we have 2 speakers organised,  Fraser Lovie (Fair Trade Campaign) and Dave Black (Minority Communities Outreach Programme.

 

"We will also be staring to organise for the Workers' Memorial Day Service and the May Day March and Rally. We urge all our delegates to come along."

PCS act for Fair Pay in the Scottish Sector.

Aberdeen trades union council sends its solidarity and support to the PCS union as its members embark on a rolling programme of targeted action across the Scottish Government sector as part of a national dispute for which PCS members in UK departments took action on 15 October 2014.

Brian Carroll, of the PCS said, "This is crucial to our sector as our employers and Scottish Ministers continue to impose the same 1% pay cap as the UK government.

 

"Our message to Mr Swinney, the Deputy First Minister is - break the public sector pay freeze!"

The rolling programme began with PCS members in Registers of Scotland taking their one day strike on 8 December, followed by the National Museums Scotland strike on Boxing Day (26 December), closing the museum to the public.

City Link sackings “disgraceful” says Aberdeen TUC



Photo by Jon Woods

Aberdeen Trades Union Council (ATUC) has added its voice to the widespread condemnation of City Link bosses who sacked thousands of workers during the festive period.

At its first meeting of 2015, delegates from affiliated unions called for the nationalisation of City Link to protect all jobs and pledged support for City Link workers.

Scott Sutherland, of Unite the Union and an ATUC delegate said, “The actions of City Link bosses in sacking thousands of workers, especially at this time of the year, is nothing short of disgraceful.

“The fast track sackings at City Link demonstrate the worst elements of casualised Britain, with workers denied even basic rights to proper consultation.  This can’t go on.”

The ATUC has issued a press release and will now send messages of support to the RMT union and all its members affected by the sackings.

 

Holocaust Memorial Day - Learning the lessons of the past

Aberdeen City's Holocaust Memorial Day event will be held this year on 25th January 2015 in the ACT (formerly the Arts Centre) King Street, Aberdeen starting at 2.30pm.

The Lord Provost of Aberdeen is expected to attend and Leo McKeever, who is a member of the Aberdeen City Youth Council and a former Albyn School student will be speaking about his experience visiting Auschwitz.

It is hoped to show the film, "Sometimes in April" which depicts the story of Rwanda's genocide, not only as it occurred in 1994 but also as the country was still experiencing healing and justice in 2004,  followed by a discussion around the theme of keeping the memory alive.

Other events will also take place locally and information about these events will be provided as it becomes available.