UNISON Scotland - the community & voluntary sector union

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voice@workWinner of UNISON Scotland 2004 best newsletter competition

Newsletter for UNISON Scotland’s Community & Voluntary Sector

Issue no. 12 Feb/March 05

YOUR UNION, YOUR VOTE - VOTE YES FOR A POLITICAL FUND

is published by UNISON Scotland

Community &Voluntary Sector

Committee14 West Campbell

Street Glasgow G2 6RX

��0870 7777 006

Fax: 0141-331-1203

E-mail: voiceatwork@tiscali.co.uk

Editorial team:Ian & Robert

Thanks to Ian, Gary,Matt, Paul, Mary,Peter and Iain forarticles supplied.

issue no. 12Feb/March 05

Deadline for newsthis issue

29th Jan 2005

Design and Layout:

Robert/Ian

Printed by Highland Printers Ltd,

The paper used for theprinting of voice@work

is made from pulpsourced from sustain-

able forests.

The views expressed inthis newsletter do notnecessarily reflect the

views of the UNISON ScottishCommunity &

Voluntary SectorCommittee or the

Editorial Team.

2around the workplace

UNISON’s Community & Voluntarysector membership continues togrow. At the time of writing we

have over 44,000 members like youemployed in the third sector across theUK.

Membership continues to grow throughorganising campaigns and initiatives thatseek to recruit stewards, workplace con-tacts and Health and Safety representativesthus strengthening and developingUNISON’s workplace structures.

The latest mapping and analysis of com-munity and voluntary sector membershipand employers shows that during the year2004 membership grew by 8% , with a15% growth in stewards and 10% growth inworkplace contacts. A trend opposite to thelatest Labour Research data that showsworkplaces with union stewards to bediminishing.

Using these reports as a tool for develop-ing organising and recruitment initiativesin this sector, both regionally and national-ly, is proving to show continuing growthand are used to map and monitor trends inUNISON's membership and third sectororganisations.

In fact the membership in this sector has

grownby 46%sincetheimple-menta-tion oftheNEC’sreport

“Organising in the Community andVoluntary Sector” in 2001.

It is also noticeable that where the organis-ing strategy adopted in this sector hasbeen implemented for key target nationalemployers there have been significantincreases in membership, noteably AnchorHousing, 9.5% growth since December2003; Barnardos, 19%; MACA , 17%;National Children's Homes, 13% andQuarriers Scotland nearly 10% growth inmembership.

As a UNISON member you can contributeto this success, by asking your colleaguesto consider joining UNISON? Alternativelywhy not contact us to arrange a visit toyour workplace?Contact: Robert Rae 0870 7777 006 Email: R.Rae@unison.co.uk

UNISON’s membership shows continued growth

One is a lonely number....

inUNISON’sthird sectoryour one of44,000 &growing!

UNISON NEEDS YOUUNISON NEEDS YOU

Many UNISON mem-bers working across

the Community &Voluntary sector do nothave any representativeswithin their workplace.

The Scottish Community& Voluntary sector commit-tee would like to changethat, but to do so, requiresyou the member to getinvolved!� I’m to busy.� I don’t have enough time.� I couldn’t do a reps job.� I don’t have the skills.

Any of these statements sound familiar toyou?We have heard them all before as we are

sure you have. UNISON is your union, wecan offer training, support and access tomany and varied learning opportunities.

We are seeking workplacecontacts, shop stewards,health & safety reps and life-long learning advisors.

Learn about health & safetyin the workplace, how to han-dle grievances, representmembers in discplinaries,negotiate with your employ-er, organise your workplaceand more!

Become a lifelong learningadviser and provide guidance and supportto colleagues on learning opportunitieswithin the workplace and the trade union.For example members can access lan-

guage courses free of charge, or how touse a computer.

If you require further information orwould like to discuss getting moreinvolved, please contact:Robert Rae 0870 7777 006

email: R.Rae@unison.co.uk

Is this an health & safety issue?

3around theworkplace

Ballot arrangements

Shortly after 9 February you will receive a ballot paper, this is aballot paper asking you if you are in favour of retainingUNISON's unique Political Fund. Every 10 years UNISON is

legally bound to do this and the Committee is strongly urging you tovote YES in this ballot.Unique campaigning fundUNISON's Political Fund is uniquein the British Trade Union move-ment, and is the resource behindmany successful and very publiccampaigns on behalf of UNISONmembers.Scottish Secretary Matt Smith

says "The Political Fund givesUNISON a voice. It allows us tospeak up for UNISON members duringelection campaigns and in the politicaldiscussions when decisions are beingmade. In Scotland it has allowed us tofight against a centralised correctional agency and for better protec-tion for members at risk from violent attack. It has continuallyresourced work exposing the economic madness that is PFI andallowed us to campaign to stop the evil of racism."Not about affiliationYou may think that this is all about Labour Party affiliation, butUNISON's unique arrangement makes sure that this isn't the case.Mike Kirby, UNISON's Scottish Convenor, explains. "UNISON's politi-cal fund has two sections that give every member a choice. Memberscan pay into either the General Fund or to Labour Link - or indeedinto neither or both." He said "To continue giving members thatchoice, members should vote YES."In a union whose members mainly work for public services, andwhose job, pay and pensions are subject to political decisions everyday, a no vote would fatally undermine the ability of UNISON to fightfor you on issues like defending decent pensions.

Vote Yes yourself and get your colleagues to do the same.

YOUR UNION,YOUR VOICE,USE IT DON’T LOSE IT!

VOTE YESVOTE YESVOTE YES

Ballot papers will be despatched from 9 - 11 Feb. They will be posted to yourhome address. All members should get one. If you haven't received yours by 21 Feb, phone UNISON direct on0845 355 0845 (06.00-24.00 Mon-Fri; 09.00 - 16.00 Sat). They must be sent back in the pre-paid envelope. They must reach the inde-pendent scrutineer by 11 March.

UNISON Scotland willbe launching a fur-

ther phase of Learning@Work development andactivity within theCommunity &Voluntary sector at ourseminar onWednesday 16thFebruary 2005 at TheGathering??????????The seminar will provide the opportunity tohear our plans and influence developments.

Learning @ Work

Quarriers Branch AGM

This years AGM will be held on

Wednesday the 23rd February at

6pm in UNISON House 14 West

Campbell Street. I would encourage all

members to attend this meeting as this is

the most important meeting of the year

for the branch, and the best opportunity

for you to meet other members, stewards

and Matt McLaughlin our new regional

officer for The Scottish Voluntary Sector.

Come along and have your say on what

you want from UNISON in the future. I

would encourage everyone who thinks

they might like to become a

steward/saftey rep to come along and

see what training and support we have to

offer.

We now have a buddy/mentoring scheme

in place so that old and new stewards

have a named link for informal advice. As

I hope to remain branch secretary I

would also like to be on hand for advice

and support.

I would like to thank all the stewards for

all their hard work this year and a special

thanks to Angus Ross who is retiring

from Quarriers, and to Betty who has

moved to a new job.

I would also like to thank John Gallagher

who has been our Regional Officer for

the last five years, he has been a

tremendous help to the branch.

I hope to see as many of you on the

night as one is a lonely number.

Gary Marshall, Branch Secretary

Not a member, why not join UNISON?AND BECOME PART OF OUR OF OUR FASTEST

GROWING SECTOR,TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A

DIFFERENCE!

��UNISONDirect 0845 3550845Monday to Friday it is available from 9am until midnight andon Saturday 9am to 4pm.

organising forhealth & safety4

Average unpaid

overtime was

worth £4,650 in

2004

UK employees did unpaid

overtime worth £23 bil-

lion in 2004, according

to TUC - a mindblowing £4,650

worth per worker.

If they had done all their unpaid

overtime at the beginning of the

year, they would have worked for

free until Friday 25

February.

The TUC has designated Friday

25 February 2005 ‘Work Your

Proper Hours Day’, the day once

a year the TUC urges employees

to only work their contracted

hours. 'We’re not saying that we

should turn into a nation of

clock-watchers,' said TUC gener-

al secretary Brendan Barber.

'Most people do not mind putting

in some extra time when there’s

a crisis or an unexpected rush.

But too many workplaces have

come to depend on very long

hours. They get taken for grant-

ed and staff have to do even

more if there is an unexpected

rush.' He added: 'Worst of all is

that many long hours workplaces

are inefficient and unproductive.

People are putting in long hours

to make up for poor organisation

and planning in the workplace.'

Long hours are linked to higher

heart disease, depression and

sickness rates and to an

increase in the number of acci-

dents.

Source: Risks issue no 189 - 08 January 2005

Employers condemned for rising work injuries

UNISON won a record £37,388,262 in 2004, in compensation formembers injured at work.The total, £3m more than the previous year,included compensation payments of £2.6m in Scotland, £3.34m in

Wales and £832,000 in Northern Ireland.Work-related injuries commonly include broken

bones, cancer caused by exposure to asbestos, asthmaor allergies caused by prolonged exposure to harshchemicals, RSI and stress-related problems."This £37m compensation represents an awful lot ofpain, injury and suffering for a lot of our members,"said UNISON general secretary, Dave Prentis.

"Ask any one of them to choose between the compen-sation or their health, each would choose not to havebeen injured in the first place."

The majority of these injuries were preventable,Prentis said. "Employers know this, but many refuse toact to prevent them, or they find it cheaper to pay outcompensation to anyone injured, rather than improvesafety at work.

"Employers must take seriously their responsibilitiesfor the health, safety and welfare of their staff," heurged. "They should examine in their workplaces why these injuries happen,and take steps to prevent repeats."

The government is set to cut incapacitybenefit in a move aimed at gettingclaimants back into work.

The prime minister wants to cut the £7 billiona year welfare budget and put pressure onclaimants to find employment.

The move, which is expected to be announc-ing in days, comes in the month a TUC report,'Sicknote Britain?', (see opposite page)revealed the numbers on incapacity benefit isalready dropping dramatically and which pre-sented evidence that more support and notmore pressure was the best way to encouragethis trend.

The controversial government move will be

revealed in the Department of Work andPensions' five-year plan. It will include propos-als to pay new claimants incapacity benefit at£56 a week, the same as Job SeekersAllowance.

The changes would be closely tied to anextension of the 'pathways to work' scheme,which will be rolled out to a third of allclaimants in less than two years. Claimantsactively seeking work or on special pro-grammes would get an extra £20 a week as apremium. There will be more personal advis-ers to help claimants look for a job as the spe-cial programme of interviews and training isstepped up.

This £37m

compensation

represents an

awful lot of

pain, injury and

suffering for

a lot of our

members.

Dave Prentis

Benefit cut plan to push sick back to work

GIVE US YOUR NEWS AND VIEWS‘Voice@work’ is your newsletter. To make it more representative of members,

we need your input! Why not write a letter, an article or give us your views of

any issues that you feel we should be addressing, alternatively have we printed

something that you disagree with? Get in touch!

Email: voiceatwork@tiscali.co.uk ��0870 7777 006

organising forhealth & safety 5

Report dispels the

myth of sicknote

Britain

ATUC report shatters the myth

that UK workers - particularly in

the public sector - are always taking

'sickies', that stress is not a serious ill-

ness and that the solution to 'sicknote

Britain' is a drastic cutback on the

numbers of people in receipt of

Incapacity Benefit.

Sicknote Britain?' shows that Britain

is not a nation of malingerers and

reveals that British workers are less

likely to take short term time off sick

than workers in any European country

except Denmark. It adds that only

Austria, Germany and Ireland lose less

working time due to long term

absence.And contrary to the common

perception, public sector employees

are off sick less than private sector

workers.

The report adds that the majority of

employers accept that most staff time

taken off ill from work is because of

genuine sickness.A bigger problem is

the high number of workers (75 per

cent) who confess to having struggled

into work when they were too ill to

do so.

TUC general secretary Brendan

Barber said: 'Sicknote Britain is an

urban myth.We take less time off than

most other countries, and public sec-

tor staff are less likely to take time off

for a short term illness.' He added:

'Rather than spiralling out of control,

as some would have us believe, the

number of Incapacity Benefit claimants

is actually on the decrease.'

Source: Risks issue no 189 - 08 January 2005

The Freedom of Information Act has comeinto full effect and gives individuals astatutory right to see a massive amount of

information held by government departmentsand thousands of public bodies, including theHealth and Safety Executive (HSE) andCommission (HSC). Information on a compa-ny’s safety record, for example, should bemade available on request.

A new HSE freedom of information (FOI)website 'will provide the means for the public both to accessinformation as it becomes available and request information not alreadypublished,' says HSE. Full text of HSE internal operation guidance docu-ments is now available. HSE says most enquiries will be answered withoutcharge, however more complex enquiries can attract charges running tohundreds of pounds.

The website also highlights a series of exclusions, including informationthat might prejudice enforcement action or that would be a 'breach of gen-uine commercial confidence.'

Campaign for Freedom of Information director, Maurice Frankel, said 'thenew rights will help people ensure that they are being treated fairly, learnwhether they are exposed to hazards, check that public authorities aredoing their job and give people a better chance of influencing decisionsbefore they are taken.'

Further information: www.cfoi.org.uk www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/FOI

Source: Risks issue no 189 - 08 January 2005

New rights to safety information take effect

Dyslexia affects up to 2.9 millionworkers in the UK, but manyemployers are not doing

enough to assist affected workers,says a TUC report.

‘Dyslexia in the workplace’ warnsthat managers who do not appreciatethe link between dyslexia and com-mon performance problems can oftenjudge dyslexic employees unfairly.

The TUC report offers advice onhow working practices can bechanged to maximise the potential ofemployees with dyslexia.

Examples in the report include thecase of Paul, a trainee train driver fora national railway company. Followingan assessment that showed him tobe dyslexic, the company agreed toconsider reasonable adjustments andengaged a specialist trainer foradvice.

Despite initial misgivings from somemanagers, Paul succeeded in pass-ing the rigorous operational andhealth and safety requirements of thepost first time, and is now a success-ful main line train driver.

Source: Risks issue no 189 - 08 January 2005

Dyslexia in the workplace

A letterDear Voice@work,I would like to voice my opinion regarding theH.N.C. Qualification in Social Care. I am informedby my employer that the qualification is no longerrecognised to take me and other employee'sthrough the qualification bar to gain a highersalary.I feel there has been an injustice put upon myselfand others who have gained this qualification thatwe were advised to undertake and many of ushave paid our own fee's to further our careerprospects. What a let down by the further educa-tion system and employers who have employed

us with the HNC in Socail Care written in their JobSpecification. I feel all those who have gained thisaward are being discriminated against and disre-garded and being less valued for the commitmentthat they have given to achieve the knowledgeand skills to progresss with their career. I wouldappreciate feedback from any other people whofeel strongly about these decisions that havebeen made.yours sincerelya member

Editor’s note:The position is that anyone working in frontlinesocial work jobs regardless of their employer haveto be registered under the social work registrationact and UNISON has no control over that. Theregistratioin is qualification based, the same asnurses with their registration. Branches havestarted to negotiate locally on behalf of thesemembers and some have been sucessful in get-ting and extra pooint on the pay scales. Thiswould seem to be the answer - to get your localbranch to negotiate on behalf of this group offrontline staff who now have a qualification.

the regulars6

Romeo's Game The ultimate charmer was out on the pull

and this boy had no sense of shame for he thought he could get any girl that he

liked it was all part of Romeo's game

Now he wasn't good looking and if truth be told the boy had a crap turn of phrase

but I'd seen him in movies he looked like E Tand his waistline had seen better days

Though this didn't deter him from playing thefield

for he knew he was destined to score every time he went clubbing or out on the town

and the girls would be begging for more

There was no girl in Scotland immune to hischarms

he was sex with a capital S for he could get anyone he so desired

for he thought that his name spelled success

Then he boasted that my girl would fall for hislines

which he'd try at the dancing tomorrow I told him go on you don't have a hope

and you'll drown in your own tears of sorrow

So I thought up a plan which would give him ashock

for I'd put all his claims to the test

by hitting the town for a night with the girls and wearing a black velvet dress

When they heard of my scheme to endRomeo's dream

they supported me all of the way for they taught me the rules about how to look

cool when being a woman at play

And when the night came they were right by myside

to help me get dressed and prepared they said I that I could pull Tom Cruise

and make up tips were shared

As I looked in the mirror and straightened mywig

which was blonde in the style of Monroe the girls called me Tracy and said I looked

great for tonight I'd be star of the show

As we went to a bar in the centre of town I spotted some guys that I knew

I honestly thought I'd be crucified now for this was a nightmare come true

Or so I believed till they headed my way and they said that I suited my dress

for the girls had informed them about what wasgoing on

and my game plan to silence that pest

So we went to the dancing and turned on thestyle

we were young free available girls as we moved to the music of Abba and Steps

I believed I was queen of the world

I was playing the part to perfection by now

for I'd learned all my well rehearsed lines then as if right on cue I spied you know who

it was only a matter of time

For he made the first move as I went to the bar and he asked if I wanted to dance

but I gave him a look which said don't makeme puke

your a numptie you don't stand a chance

But five minutes later he was back on the case saying he never takes no for an answer

but I kept my composure and told him get lost for I had to get rid of this chancer

But the guy wouldn't leave and I couldn'tbelieve

how stupid he actually was and whatever I tried he would still hang around

and refuse to accept that he'd lost

So then I decided that I'd play my ace which would soon put an end to his

boasting as I took off my wig and I lifted my knee

for his nuts got a serious roasting

Then I went to the toilet and did a quickchange

re- appearing in t- shirt and jeans and before very long they were playing my song

I was back with the girl of my dreams

For the love superstar had went one step too far and he couldn't live up to his claims

but I'd made lots of mates as I helped seal hisfate

for my stunt ended Romeo's game © Iain Smith

Tam Cowan at the launch

It was never widely known, but for almost thirsty yearsthere was no specific reference to harassment in eitherthe race or sex discrimination acts.

A glance back to episodes of "Mind Your Language" andsimilar 'comedies' might give the impression that the harmcaused by harassment was overlooked the 1970's

The absence of any reference to harassment didn't stoppeople taking cases on the basis that it was a detrimentlinked to gender or race, but the absence of guidance onthe meaning of 'harassment' was always a problem.

The position was addressed in 2003 with European drivenguidance on the meaning of the term. In late 2004 thisapproach was extended to disability. So what is the law?

The new definition for racial harassment is as follows:A person subjects another to harassment where, ongrounds of race or ethnic or national origins, he engages inunwanted conduct which has the purpose or effect of vio-lating that other person's dignity, or creating an intimidat-ing, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environ-ment for him.

Conduct shall be regarded as harassment if itshould reasonably be considered as having thateffect. The position for gender and disability isvery similar.

So, how does this help? First, the motive of theharasser is irrelevant. If the motive is to harass,that is unlawful.

But if the effect of someone's conduct is harass-ment it is unlawful regardless of the motive or purpose.This clarity is essential for dealing with cases whereharssers claim they were unaware of the effect of the effectof their behaviour or, that they were only joking.

The next important point is the breadth of the definition ofharassment. Harassment is the environment experiencedby the victim, not the conduct of the harasser. This is impor-tant, for example, in the display of pornography or otherdegrading images.What matters is not the single act of dis-playing an image, but the enduring atmosphere or environ-ment that is created by the harasser.

The tricky part still comes with the 'reasonable' person'sassessment of the effect of the environment to which thevictim is exposed. In a judicial system that accepts work-place stress as the mitigating factor in the defence of a manwho killed his wife there can be no doubt that the legalnotions of reasonableness are gender-biased.

If you are unsure, all complaints of harassment should berefered to your Branch.

Rants & Rhymesby UNISON CILIG

member Iain Smith

Law at Work New guidance on sex &racial harrassment

by UNISON’s Legal Officer,Peter Hunter

Internationalnews 7

And to avoid another debt crisis hard on theheels of the first, poor countries need to begiven more grants, rather than seeing theirdebt burden piled even higher with yet moreloans.

More and better aid� Donors must now deliver at least $50billion more in aid and set a bindingtimetable for spending 0.7% of nationalincome on aid. Aid must also be madeto work more effectively for poor people.

Poverty will not be eradicated without animmediate and major increase in internation-al aid. Rich countries have promised to pro-vide the extra money needed to meet inter-nationally agreed poverty reduction targets.This amounts to at least $50 billion per year,according to official estimates,and must be delivered now.

Rich countries have also promised to provide0.7% of their national income in aid and they

must nowmake goodon theircommitmentby setting abindingtimetable to reach this target.

However, without far-reaching changes inhow aid is delivered, it won't achieve maxi-mum benefits. Two key areas of reform areneeded.

First, aid needs to focus better on poor peo-ple's needs. This means more aid beingspent on areas such as basic healthcare andeducation. Aid should no longer be tied togoods and services from the donor, soensuring that more money is spent in thepoorest countries. And the World Bank andthe IMF must become fully democratic inorder for poor people's concerns to beheard.

Second, aid should support poor countriesand communities' own plans and paths outof poverty. Aid should therefore no longer beconditional on recipients promising economicchange like privatising or deregulating theirservices, cutting health and educationspending, or opening up their markets: theseare unfair practices that have never beenproven to reduce poverty. And aid needs tobe made predictable, so that poor countriescan plan effectively and take control of theirown budgets in the fight against poverty.

MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY is a unique UKalliance of charities, trade unions, campaign-ing groups and celebrities who are mobilisingaround key opportunities in 2005 to drive for-ward the struggle against poverty and injus-tice.For further information on the campaign:www.makepovertyhistory.org

You can purchase white bands to show yoursupport for the campaign from Oxfam shopsacross the country.

Make POVERTY Historycontinued from back page

Celebrate International Woman's Day - 8th March

On March 8th 1857, in theLower East Side of New Yorkcity, thousands of women

garment workers demonstrated inthe streets against their intolerableworking conditions, starvationwages and 12- hour working day.

As the demonstrators headedtowards the wealthy areas of NewYork, the police charged it, tram-pling several women under theirhorse’s’ hooves and arresting oth-ers. Three years later, the womenwon the right to organise tradeunions in the garment workers.

Fifty-one years later, on March 8th1908, history repeated itself. Thewomen garment workers in NewYork once again rose up to protestagainst their working conditions. Afire in a garment factory had killed146 workers and it was this thatbrought the women onto the streetsagain.

Thousands of women textile work-ers also joined the strikes anddemonstrations. Two new demands

were added to those of 1857 - anend to child labour and the right tovote.

On March 8th 1910, at the congressof the Second International inCopenhagen, Clara Zetkin, one ofthe leaders of the German SocialistParty, proposed that March 8th ,every year, be proclaimedInternational Women’s Day to com-memorate the struggle of thewomen garment workers.

In 1917, in Russia, women textileworkers at Petrograd chose March

8th to declare a strike to protestagainst working conditions, hungerand the long queues to buy bread.Other workers demonstrated in soli-darity with the women, and thewomen’s protest grew into the gen-eral strike which precipitated theOctober Revolution.

The rise of the women’s movementinternationally gave the celebrationof International Women’s Day a newdimension and now the day is anannual opportunity for women todeclare their solidarity in women’sstruggle against oppression in allit’s forms.

UNISON campaigns in the work-place and in the community, for abetter and safe home and working

environment forall.

‘GET UP STAND UP, STAND UPFOR YOUR RIGHTS!’

International news8

Today, the gap betweenthe world's rich and pooris wider than ever.

Global injustices such aspoverty, AIDS, malnutrition,conflict and illiteracy remainrife.

Despite the promises of worldleaders, at our present sluggishrate of progress the world will faildismally to reach internationallyagreed targets to halve globalpoverty by 2015.

World poverty is sustained notby chance or nature, but by acombination of factors: injusticein global trade; the huge burdenof debt; insufficient and ineffec-tive aid. Each of these is exacer-bated by inappropriate economicpolicies imposed by rich coun-tries.

But it doesn't have to be thisway. These factors are deter-mined by human decisions.

2005 offers an exceptional seriesof opportunities for the UK totake a lead internationally, tostart turning things around. Nextyear, as the UK hosts the annualG8 gathering of powerful worldleaders and heads up theEuropean Union (EU), the UKGovernment will be a particularlyinfluential player on the worldstage.

A sea change is needed. Bymobilising popular supportacross a unique string of eventsand actions, we will press ourown government to compel richcountries to fulfil their obligationsand promises to help eradicatepoverty, and to rethink somelong-held assumptions.

MAKEPOVERTYHISTORYurges the government and inter-

national decision makers to riseto the challenge of 2005. We arecalling for urgent and meaningfulpolicy change on three criticaland inextricably linked areas:trade, debt and aid.

Trade justice� Fight for rules that ensuregovernments, particularly in poorcountries, can choose the bestsolutions to end poverty and pro-tect the environment. These willnot always be free trade policies.� End export subsidies thatdamage the livelihoods of poorrural communities around theworld.� Make laws that stop bigbusiness profiting at the expenseof people and the environment.

The rules of international tradeare stacked in favour of the mostpowerful countries and theirbusinesses. On the one handthese rules allow rich countriesto pay their farmers and compa-nies subsidies to export food -destroying the livelihoods of poorfarmers. On the other, povertyeradication, human rights and

environmen-tal protectioncome a poorsecond tothe goal of'eliminatingtrade barri-ers'.

We need trade justice not freetrade. This means the EU single-handedly putting an end to itsdamaging agricultural exportsubsidies now; it means ensur-ing poor countries can feed their

people by protecting their ownfarmers and staple crops; itmeans ensuring governmentscan effectively regulate watercompanies by keeping water outof world trade rules; and itmeans ensuring trade rules donot undermine core labour stan-dards.

We need to stop the World Bankand International Monetary Fund(IMF) forcing poor countries toopen their markets to trade withrich countries, which has provedso disastrous over the past 20years; the EU must drop itsdemand that former Europeancolonies open their markets andgive more rights to big compa-nies; we need to regulate com-panies - making them account-able for their social and environ-mental impact both here andabroad; and we must ensure that

countries are able to regulateforeign investment in a way thatbest suits their own needs.Drop the debt� The unpayable debts of theworld's poorest countries shouldbe cancelled in full, by fair andtransparent means.Despite grand statements fromworld leaders, the debt crisis isfar from over. Rich countrieshave not delivered on the prom-ise they made more than sixyears ago to cancel unpayablepoor country debts. As a result,many countries still have tospend more on debt repaymentsthan on meeting the needs oftheir people. Rich countries and the institu-tions they control must act nowto cancel all the unpayable debtsof the poorest countries. Theyshould not do this by deprivingpoor countries of new aid, but bydigging into their pockets andproviding new money. The task of calculating howmuch debt should be cancelledmust no longer be left to credi-tors concerned mainly with min-imising their own costs. Instead,we need a fair and transparentinternational process to makesure that human needs take pri-ority over debt repayments. International institutions like theIMF and World Bank must stopasking poor countries to jumpthrough hoops in order to qualifyfor debt relief. Poor countriesshould no longer have to priva-tise basic services or liberaliseeconomies as a condition forgetting the debt relief they sodesperately need.

Continued on page 7

Make POVERTY HistoryIf you watched the Vicar of Dibley special on New Year’s Day, or saw the 600 female

vicars delivering their message to Tony Blair last month, you will know that 2005 is setto be the year of the White Band. By wearing it you’ll be part of Make Poverty History, a unique worldwide effort to end extreme poverty – for good.

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2If undeliverable return to:UNISON Scotland, FREEPOSTNW

486,14 W

est Campbell St, G2 6BR