Aberdeen Universities UNISON Branch is the recognised trade union for
professional and support staff at the University of Aberdeen and the Robert Gordon University.
Once more we are running our fantastic Christmas Competition, which is open to members only for all our current UNISON members at both the Robert Gordon University and the University of Aberdeen.
This year, we have an amazing Apple iPad Air to win, and twenty lucky winners will receive a voucher code for £50, to use on any shopping vouchers they like from the love2shop redemption website.
Pay talks with the University and Colleges Employers’ Association (UCEA) ended in impasse, rather than agreement. UCEA made their latest final pay offer for 2023-24 during the ACAS facilitated dispute resolution talks in February: another below-inflation pay rise.
With RPI inflation at 13.8% in February 2023 and even CPI at 10.4%, like many other workers across the country, between 2022-23 and 2023-24 you are facing the prospect of the biggest ever real terms pay cut.
Aberdeen Universities Branch bid a fond farewell to Julie Yackiminie as she stood down from her post as branch chair after many years of service to UNISON.
Colin Jones, UNISON Convener at the Robert Gordon University said, “I became involved in UNISON twenty years ago when Julie asked for people to help ‘give out leaflets’. She was a great mentor and support and was always there to provide advice on issues where she would often be able to give that alternative perspective or come up with something you hadn’t thought of. It has been a pleasure working with her over all this time as both a friend and colleague, and I’d like to personally thank her for everything she’s done for the branch.”
Julie said, “I enjoyed my 28 years as a steward and member of the branch committee. I met many people I would never have met and I was also given opportunities I would never have had. It was very rewarding being a UNISON steward and activist, knowing that in some small way I had helped someone. I would urge members to think about becoming a steward or helping the union out in any way they can.”
Owen Cox, branch chair also added, “Working with Julie stimulates everybody’s imagination and people dare to dream about real change. She was an inspiration to me and to all of us. We wish her well, but it’s not lost on me how much we will miss her.”
Julie, who is due to retire later this year, was presented with a print entitled “Into Aberdeen” by North East artist Eric Auld, in recognition of all the work she had done for the branch, and for members.
You can join UNISON right now - no paper forms to print out and fill in, and nothing to post off.
Simply sign up online to start your membership right away! Join Online