Renfrewshire union secretary is new Scottish convenor
One of Renfrewshire’s leading trade unionists has been named as the new convener of Unison Scotland.
Mark Ferguson, who has fought for workers rights as secretary of Unison Renfrewshire for years, was voted to the most senior lay position in Scotland’s biggest union at its conference this week.
Mark said it was“a great honour”to have been elected into the role.
He said:“I am so grateful to everyone who voted for me and I am delighted to have such a great team to work with. I speak on behalf of all of us when I say what a great honour it is to be elected convenor of Unison Scotland.
Unison members do vital jobs for families and communities across Scotland. Our new team will do our absolute best to make sure our members voices are heard, in all their diversity from right across Scotland.”
He added:“We have a lot of work to do, our public services are undervalued and under threat. We have an NHS staffing crisis, social care in need of radical reform, local government is under threat, significant parts of our education system are struggling, we are seeing cuts in our police service and Scottish Water and others were forced to take industrial action last year.
“My promise to all public services workers is that our new team will work hard to make sure your contribution is valued and you get the improvements you need to provide vital services to communities.”
Frances Pollock from Glasgow and Clyde Health and CVS branch has been elected as deputy convener and Steven Larkin from East Renfrewshire branch has been elected Unison Scotland’s treasurer.
Scottish conveners and treasurers chair regional council and regional committee meetings, and they support branches to become stronger, more effective and active.