UNISON Scotland will mount a strong campaign to win the £500 payment announced by the Scottish Government for all public service staff who have kept services going throughout the Covid pandemic.

Delegates at UNISON Scottish Council backed an emergency motion from Renfrewshire branch which welcomed the payments but pointed out that it has missed tens of thousands of our public sector workers across local government and emergency services who have also worked and continue to work throughout the pandemic.

Moving the motion, Brenda Aitchison, in a nod to the panto season, said that council workers are “pure scunnered at playing Cinderella yet again,” and would be telling the Scottish Government, “Oh no you won’t!”

A number of speakers supported the motion, pointing out the wider groups of members who have been unrecognised in this payment.

UNISON Scotland will lobby the Scottish Government to demand all COVID-19 responders across Public Services are rewarded equally; issue an immediate press release highlighting the failure of the Scottish Government to recognise all workers who have put their lives at risk whilst responding to the pandemic; work alongside the STUC in their condemnation of the position taken by the Scottish Government; refer the matter to the Scottish Labour Link Committee and ask them to liaise with Labour MSP’s to raise the matter in the Scottish Parliament; and will establish an immediate online petition to be submitted to the Scottish Parliament.

Please watch out for the petiton and make sure you sign and share it, and ask colleagues, friends and family to sign it too.

Full details regarding the petition will be on the Branch website once available.