Welcome to my Blog

I am a semi-retired former Scottish trade union policy wonk, now working on a range of projects. This includes the Director of the Jimmy Reid Foundation. All views are my own, not any of the organisations I work with. You can also follow me on Twitter. Or on Threads @davewatson1683. I hope you find this blog interesting and I would welcome your comments.

Monday 10 September 2012

UNISON Welfare Fun Day

Yesterday was UNISON Scotland's Welfare Fun Day, held at the Falkirk Wheel.

UNISON Welfare is our charity aim at helping members when they are struggling through an unexpected crisis, or if the pressures of every day life are getting too much. Recently rebranded as There for You  this charity offers a unique confidential advice and support service just for members of UNISON and their dependants. It helps thousands of members every year with financial assistance, debt advice, wellbeing breaks, support and information. UNISON is the only trade union to offer a confidential advice and support service to its members and their families in the form of a registered charity.

Sadly, there has never been a greater need for this service. Real cuts in wages coupled with an ideological attack on public services is creating an ever greater demand on the charitable sector to plug the gap. Welfare reform is adding to that burden with real cuts in support to those most in need.

It hasn't stopped Cameron and Osborne parading at the paralympics, and rightly getting booed. As Blind Team GB footballer Keryn Seal, who relies on his £70-a-week allowance to get to training said: “I find it quite incredible that the ­Government can go around handing out medals when away from the Games they are taking the DLA away. It’s all well and good backing disabled sports at the highest level and looking good for the cameras but what they are doing is going to affect hundreds of thousands of disabled people really badly."

So many thanks to the UNISON branches who supported yesterdays event and those who put a lot of effort into organising it. Not to forget those who turned up.

The Falkirk Wheel is also a great public service venue if you haven't visited it. The staff are great advert for the service. Thanks to them as well.
















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