The Edinburgh Branch Executive Committee would urge members to help to show opposition to the Tory Trade Union Bill by attending the Unite the resistance rally on 2nd November.

Unite the Resistance is calling for activity across Britain on 2nd November when the third reading of the Trade Union Bill takes place in Parliament.

Many activists will be travelling to London to join the lobby on that day, and you are encouraged to do so if you can, but many of us will not be able to attend.

The Trade Union Bill is a fundamental attack on our right to organise and strike in the face of ongoing austerity.

The Tories know the unions are the last line of defence for millions of working people. The bill is yet another attempt to limit our ability to collectively resist the ongoing attacks on our standard of living and our public services. It is also an attack on one of our most basic civil liberties – the right to withdraw our labour.

The Tories, elected by 24% of the electorate, are imposing balloting thresholds which few MPs have met in their own election…and if the bill is passed through Parliament, we will have to build mass opposition.

In Edinburgh, we will be holding a rally from 5 to 6pm at the Foot of the Mound. Please put this in your diary and come along if you can. We will have a number of speakers who will explain what this bill means for us all and how we can oppose it.

Speakers include: Des Loughney (Secretary, Edinburgh Trades Union Council), Annie McCrae (Educational Institute of Scotland), Doug Campbell (Public and Civil Servants union), Steve West (Secretary, Unite the Resistance Scotland)

Please attend if possible, bring family & friends & look our for the Edinburgh Branch banner

The Edinburgh Branch Executive Committee today agreed to support Bootle Taxes Branch campaign to challenge HMRC’s discriminatory attendance management policy and demand the reinstatement of Iain Yell.

Since the implementation of HMRC’s attendance management policy in 2011, Members have found themselves subject to formal attendance management action for as little as three days absence in a twelve month period.  This is due to the introduction of mechanistic trigger points which pressure line managers to consider formal action regardless of the nature or circumstances surrounding an absence.

HMRC’s attendance management policy has been introduced to force down the departments Annual Working Days Lost  (AWDL) to sick absence and discourages the proper priority being given to health, wellbeing or reasonable adjustments for conditions covered by the Equality Act 2010.

As a consequence of the attendance management policy introduced in 2011 the Edinburgh branch has seen a sharp increase in members becoming subject to early formal attendance management action which has ultimately resulted in members loosing their jobs.

For these reasons the Edinburgh Branch Executive Committee urge all members to support the Bootle Taxes Branch campaign and take part in the e-action on their webpage.

Please also sign the online petition demanding HMRC reinstate Iain Yell.