News Archive
6/12/2022
Strikes At Airports Up To Christmas Will Make People Think Twice About Flying
Travel across the north of Scotland is facing disruption over the festive period after staff at 11 regional airports backed industrial action in a dispute over pay. Members of Unite voted by 73.5% in favour of strike action, and by 92.8% in favour of action short of a strike.6/12/2022
Royal Mail Strikes And Last Posting Deadlines Dates
Disruption caused by strikes at Royal Mail making posting earlier than ever is the only sure way to get letters, cards and parcels to your friends and relatives on time for Christmas. Rail strikes may also add to delays where mail is transported by trains.6/12/2022
Transport Minister Marks Official Opening Of Aberdeen Railway Station Redevelopment
Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth today officially opened the recently complete £8million redevelopment of Aberdeen railway station. Ms Gilruth joined Alex Hynes, Scotland's Railway Managing Director, for the event.
6/12/2022
RCN Members In Scotland Urged To Take Urgent Action In Vote On Revised Nhs Pay Offer
From yesterday (5 December) RCN Scotland members working in the NHS can have their say on the Scottish government's revised pay offer for 2022-23. Members eligible to take part in the ballot are being asked to accept or reject the Scottish government's latest offer.6/12/2022
Highland Council Winter Road Condition Report For Tuesday 6 December 2022
Maps of the Council's gritting routes by priority and policy are available online at www.highland.gov.uk/gritting. The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time.6/12/2022
Scottish Secondary Teachers Association Strikes Begin On 7th December But Low Impact Likely in Highland
The Scottish Secondary Teachers Associations strikes are separate from those organised by the EIS and due to lower membership may not impact as heavily on particular schools. The first day of action this month for this union is 7 December.6/12/2022
Footfall Stumbles Ahead Of Christmas
According to BRC-Sensormatic IQ data footfall fell in the period 30 October - 26 November 2022. Total UK footfall decreased by 13.3% in November (Yo3Y), 1.5 percentage points worse than October.5/12/2022
Get Ready For Snow On Wednesday 7th December - Met Office Forecast
The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for snow in the north islands and northern Highlands of Scotland for Wednesday 7th December 2022. Take all the usual precautions for very cold weather.
5/12/2022
Better Post Early For Christmas As More Royal Mail Strikes Coming
The latest updates for strikes called y the CWU are for action as follows - national strike action on 9, 11, 14 and 15 December 2022. Royal Mail are warning of sever disruption to services at what is one of the busiest times of the year.5/12/2022
Cost Of Living Crisis: The Health Risks Of Not Turning The Heating On In Winter
People in the UK might be tempted to keep their heating turned off to offset the large increases in energy bills this winter. A recent YouGov poll, revealed that 21% of respondents would not turn their heating on until at least November.
5/12/2022
Energy Bills: How Much Money Does Turning Down The Thermostat Actually Save?
The unprecedented rise in energy costs this winter has many people asking how to reduce their bills. In a typical UK home, around 80% of the total energy used in a year goes towards heating space and water, so any change in heating makes a big difference.
5/12/2022
Highland Council Winter Road Condition Report For Monday 5 December
Today's road report from Highland council shows that things are not to bad but this will change over the next few days so make sure if traveling that you are prepared especially for Wednesday when snow is forecast. Maps of the Council's gritting routes by priority and policy are available online at www.highland.gov.uk/gritting The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time.5/12/2022
Action To Bolster NHS Workforce And Retain Senior Doctors
Plans set out to amend NHS pension rules to retain more experienced NHS clinicians and remove barriers to staff returning from retirement Proposals will enable staff to work more flexibly up to and beyond retirement age and protect from excessively high tax charges. Reforms will help open up extra appointments so patients can see their GP and hospital consultants more quickly.5/12/2022
Fusion Robots At Work In The UK Space Industry
Advanced robotics and remote handling technologies from fusion successfully trialled for complex operations in the space industry. Culham and Harwell, Oxfordshire - UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and the Satellite Applications Catapult have partnered to demonstrate how advanced remote handling and robotics technology developed for fusion energy research can be used to provide maintenance for in-orbit satellites.
5/12/2022
Annual Survey Of Hours And Earnings (ashe)
Statistics from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2022. Gross median weekly earnings for full-time employees in Scotland were £640.50 in 2022, an increase of 3.2 per cent over the year and continues the longer-term upward trend seen prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.5/12/2022
How China's Response To Zero-covid Protests Could Affect Global Business
The recent protests in China against the country's zero-COVID policy have been unprecedented in their scale, intensity and distribution. Protestors numbering in the thousands were reported in dozens of cities.
5/12/2022
Millions Of Britons To Be Able To Request Flexible Working On Day One Of Employment
Workers to have a greater say over when, where, and how they work under new government plans to make flexible working the default. Millions of employees will receive day one right to request flexible working, empowering workers to have a greater say over when, where, and how they work.
4/12/2022
Devon Ready To Welcome Their New Chief Executive From Highland At £200,000 Salary
The North Devon Gazette today reports the news that Donna Manson, Highland's chief executive as their new top manager. An internal message informing Devon County Council's staff of the appointment says: "Donna has a track record of improvement, best value and successful budget delivery, rebuilding substantial reserves and resilience within The Highland Council, while implementing significant investment projects." The chair of Highland Council, Bill Lobban, said: “Donna has done a tremendous job for The Highland Council in the most difficult and challenging of circumstances and I personally wish her well in taking up her new position with Devon County Council.” Currently paid a reported £159,000 a year for her current role, Ms Manson could be in line for a hefty pay rise for moving south after a report in July concluded a salary of “circa £200,000 would be required to attract and retain” Dr Norrey’s replacement..
4/12/2022
Strike Action To Hit Highlands And Islands Airports Over Festive Period
Unite members across eleven airports back action in pay dispute Members of Unite have voted by 73.5 per cent in favour of taking strike action and by 92.8 per cent in favour of taking action short of strike in a battle to improve pay for rural communities amid a cost of living crisis. Unite, which represents members across eleven airports in the HIAL group, including those working in Fire and Rescue, Security and administration, will confirm industrial action dates next week.4/12/2022
