Trade unions estimate that this will result in over 400 job losses and essential public services will be severly impacted, if not lost altogether.

The heritage and wider cultural sector was hit very hard by the coronavirus pandemic. Thousands of jobs were lost as vital income streams dried up. As museums, galleries and other spaces have been able to reopen to the public and tourism has begun to recover there have been some green shoots of recovery. However this can only happen with both a safe workforce and visitors that feel confident about attending Covid-secure venues. This is being put at risk by the failure of the UK government to mandate the wearing of facemasks for visitors to indoor heritage venues in England. Although masks will only be one part of a comprehensive strategy to address the risks posed by Covid the World Health Organisations recommends them as an important part of this comprehensive approach.

Dundee City Council are trying to force through a disruptive restructure of all secondary schools in the area. If the changes were to go ahead, the council would band subjects together under one faculty. The council would remove principal teachers from secondary schools and replace them with a new position – “faculty heads”. The plans mean there would be fewer teachers in our already under-resourced schools and yet more disruption to students’ learning. The changes would significantly increase workload for teachers – that means less one-to-one time with students. And there is no evidence out there to suggest that the faculties model has any educational benefit. This will hit the poorest students, hardest. Dundee is one of the most deprived areas in Scotland. And one in five young people leave school without any qualification at National 5 level. Secondary teachers almost unanimously oppose the changes. 97% have voted to reject the plans, and 96% don’t believe that the changes will improve the attainment gap. Education is in crisis. We need more class teachers, not less. Every young person deserves a qualified and experienced teacher. Every young person deserves a quality education.

PFI BLEEDS THE NHS DRY, TIME’S UP FOR PFI PROFITEERS! Unison Lanarkshire Health Branch has launched a campaign to bring private contracts within NHS Lanarkshire back in house into public ownership. The campaign aims to end the private Serco and ISS contracts within NHS Lanarkshire; which provides catering, portering, domestic and security services at Hairmyres and Wishaw Hospitals back in house to put an end to a two-tier workforce. Once brought back in-house it will allow all NHS Lanarkshire workers at these sites to be employed on equal terms and conditions. Bringing these contracts back in house will also put an end to profit-motivated contractors providing public services at the public’s expense. Unison has produced a letter which we have directly mailed to all Lanarkshire Councillors, MSPs and MPs asking them to support our campaign to bring the staff back in-house where they belong. Let's be clear, PFI contracts are bleeding NHS Lanarkshire and its time to put a stop to private profiteers draining OUR National Health Service. Support our campaign and sign our petition! You can also get more involved in the campaign by: Phone: 01698 754333 Email: [email protected]

Throughout the pandemic, biomedical scientists have been on the frontline of our NHS, analysing patient blood samples and carrying out covid-19 testing. The workers, who have been on strike since May, are owed staggering amounts of back pay. That starts at several hundred pounds up to as much as £8,000, after managers failed to honour a 2019 agreement to upgrade their pay. Send a message to Interim Chief Executive at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, Martin Hodgson, demanding he meet with Unite and settle this unnecessary dispute as soon as possible.

Public transport is the key to decarbonising our region and fighting climate change. But our public transport system won’t be around long if we aren’t willing to fight for it. Privatised bus companies are cutting routes, and ridership is going through the floor. That’s why we’re calling on our local politicians to make bus travel free, for all of us, for the duration of the UN COP26 climate talks in Glasgow this November. The more people use and value our bus network, the harder it is for private interests to take it away from us. Show our buses some love this November, and help us fight for free bus travel during COP26.

Public transport is the key to decarbonising our region and fighting climate change. But our public transport system won’t be around long if we aren’t willing to fight for it. Privatised bus companies are cutting routes, and ridership is going through the floor. That’s why we’re calling on our local politicians to make bus travel free, for all of us, for the duration of the UN COP26 climate talks in Glasgow this November. The more people use and value our bus network, the harder it is for private interests to take it away from us. Show our buses some love this November, and help us fight for free bus travel during COP26.

Public transport is the key to decarbonising our region and fighting climate change. But our public transport system won’t be around long if we aren’t willing to fight for it. Privatised bus companies are cutting routes, and ridership is going through the floor. That’s why we’re calling on our local politicians to make bus travel free, for all of us, for the duration of the UN COP26 climate talks in Glasgow this November. The more people use and value our bus network, the harder it is for private interests to take it away from us. Show our buses some love this November, and help us fight for free bus travel during COP26.

Public transport is the key to decarbonising our region and fighting climate change. But our public transport system won’t be around long if we aren’t willing to fight for it. Privatised bus companies are cutting routes, and ridership is going through the floor. That’s why we’re calling on our local politicians to make bus travel free, for all of us, for the duration of the UN COP26 climate talks in Glasgow this November. The more people use and value our bus network, the harder it is for private interests to take it away from us. Show our buses some love this November, and help us fight for free bus travel during COP26.

Public transport is the key to decarbonising our region and fighting climate change. But our public transport system won’t be around long if we aren’t willing to fight for it. Privatised bus companies are cutting routes, and ridership is going through the floor. That’s why we’re calling on our local politicians to make bus travel free, for all of us, for the duration of the UN COP26 climate talks in Glasgow this November. The more people use and value our bus network, the harder it is for private interests to take it away from us. Show our buses some love this November, and help us fight for free bus travel during COP26.

Public transport is the key to decarbonising our region and fighting climate change. But our public transport system won’t be around long if we aren’t willing to fight for it. Privatised bus companies are cutting routes, and ridership is going through the floor. That’s why we’re calling on our local politicians to make bus travel free, for all of us, for the duration of the UN COP26 climate talks in Glasgow this November. The more people use and value our bus network, the harder it is for private interests to take it away from us. Show our buses some love this November, and help us fight for free bus travel during COP26.

Public transport is the key to decarbonising our region and fighting climate change. But our public transport system won’t be around long if we aren’t willing to fight for it. Privatised bus companies are cutting routes, and ridership is going through the floor. That’s why we’re calling on our local politicians to make bus travel free, for all of us, for the duration of the UN COP26 climate talks in Glasgow this November. The more people use and value our bus network, the harder it is for private interests to take it away from us. Show our buses some love this November, and help us fight for free bus travel during COP26.