Joining a Committee
Within the structures of Unite Scotland, our lay member committees are one of the most influential.
They are often where the majority of our campaigns, rules, and policies come from.
Within Unite, we have three strands to our committees :
What is a RISC?
A RISC is made up of workers in a particular sector, people in different workplaces but in the same line of work, in order to create campaigns that will not only benefit their own place of work but everyone who works in that industry.
For example, if you work for a large soft drink manufacturer, you would then be a member of the "Food, Drink and Agriculture (FDA)" RISC. This risk would then bring you together with activists from not only other beverage makers, but also those in food production. This allows you to share experiences and gain a greater insight into the working practices all over. Using this knowledge, you then formulate motions to be submitted to become campaigns, positions, and policy throughout the entire Union.
An example of this would be at our last policy conference, the FDA RISC felt that there was a significant impact on workers mental health, either through their line of work or due to external factors, but that the whole sector was affected in one way or another. They, therefore, proposed a motion which called on Unite Scotland endorsing and supporting a policy that makes it mandatory to receive compulsory training on mental health. As a result of this, Unite now offers all reps Mental Health Awareness Training, and Mental Health First Aid training, and will also canvas the Scottish Government to create a similar scheme in all workplaces.
What is an Equalities Committee?
An Equalities Committee is similar to a RISC, but they offer a place for those who have protected characteristics to have a platform specifically for issues which affect those who are in the same category.
Our Equalities Committees are :
What is an Area Activist Committee?
Again, similar to a RISC, but these committees aim to identify issues that affect their communities rather than their employment sectors. These Committees are defined by the area in which the member lives or works. They do not have to be employed at all to sit on this committee, they simply have to live in a defined area to report on the issues affecting those who live there.
They are often where the majority of our campaigns, rules, and policies come from.
Within Unite, we have three strands to our committees :
- Regional Industrial Sectoral Committees (often referred to as RISCs)
- Regional Equalities Committees
- Area Activist Committees
What is a RISC?
A RISC is made up of workers in a particular sector, people in different workplaces but in the same line of work, in order to create campaigns that will not only benefit their own place of work but everyone who works in that industry.
For example, if you work for a large soft drink manufacturer, you would then be a member of the "Food, Drink and Agriculture (FDA)" RISC. This risk would then bring you together with activists from not only other beverage makers, but also those in food production. This allows you to share experiences and gain a greater insight into the working practices all over. Using this knowledge, you then formulate motions to be submitted to become campaigns, positions, and policy throughout the entire Union.
An example of this would be at our last policy conference, the FDA RISC felt that there was a significant impact on workers mental health, either through their line of work or due to external factors, but that the whole sector was affected in one way or another. They, therefore, proposed a motion which called on Unite Scotland endorsing and supporting a policy that makes it mandatory to receive compulsory training on mental health. As a result of this, Unite now offers all reps Mental Health Awareness Training, and Mental Health First Aid training, and will also canvas the Scottish Government to create a similar scheme in all workplaces.
What is an Equalities Committee?
An Equalities Committee is similar to a RISC, but they offer a place for those who have protected characteristics to have a platform specifically for issues which affect those who are in the same category.
Our Equalities Committees are :
- Women's Committee
- Black and Ethnic Minority (BAEM) Committee
- Disabled Members Committee
- LGBT+ Committee
- Retired Members Committee
- Young Members Committee
What is an Area Activist Committee?
Again, similar to a RISC, but these committees aim to identify issues that affect their communities rather than their employment sectors. These Committees are defined by the area in which the member lives or works. They do not have to be employed at all to sit on this committee, they simply have to live in a defined area to report on the issues affecting those who live there.