Thursday January 15th saw Maggie Chapman MSP move a motion in parliament on 'A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Fit for the Future'. Members of the fire brigades union (FBU) were in the gallery to hear an informed debate on a motion that enjoyed cross party support . From all the parties there was rhetorical support for the fire service and those that work in it. But words do not equate to resources. FBU Scotland had been left unhappy with the budget settlement agreed earlier

Professor Mathieson of the University of Edinburgh has opened up the debate about the funding of undergraduate courses in Scotland.    Mathieson asserts that in Scotland the cost of supporting degree level study is too great and that there should be increased Scottish Government funding, student tuition fees or some sort of graduate tax.  He feels that this issue needs to become a public and political priority ahead of May's Scottish Parliament elections .   It will be intere

Earlier this week, we saw NUJ members take industrial action (January 7 th ) . In snowy Aberdeen, and in Glasgow too, picket lines were in place in opposition to compulsory redundancies and the ending of news services in the north of Scotland. Standing out in the cold caught the attention of politicians from a range of parties.  What is clear is that STV management appears to have lost the trust of the workforce. It does not feel like a happy new year for those dependent on q