First Minister meets Blindcraft and Royal Mail workers

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Release ... uc09033012" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;?

First Minister Alex Salmond has told a team of Royal Mail staff in Glasgow that the Scottish Government is making good on its commitments – and has more to deliver.

During visits to Royal Strathclyde Blindcraft Industries and the Royal Mail’s Glasgow Mail Centre in Springburn today, the First Minister outlined some of the government’s main achievements to date and committed to making more progress in the coming months.

The First Minister was in the city meeting with Royal Mail and Blindcraft staff who have won STUC awards – part of the Scottish Union Learning initiative supported by the Scottish Government.

Mr Salmond said:

"Jobs are this government’s top priority and that includes supporting investment in training and lifelong learning – exactly as the STUC, Blindcraft and the Royal Mail are doing here in Glasgow.

"In this great city alone there have been almost 1500 new starts in local training opportunities and in the first half of this financial year we have invested in 1350 modern apprenticeships.

"But we’re delivering on more than just jobs. Only a few minutes drive from here, the M80 Stepps to Haggs was opened in September, on time and on budget. The Scottish Government has doubled investment in affordable homes to £55 million and protected revenue spending in the NHS.

"That’s on top of freezing council tax, abolishing prescription charges and getting rid of tuition fees – meaning our young people can pursue their education based on their ability to learn rather than their ability to pay.

"There is more to do and we are facing tough economic times, but we will continue to deliver.

[DGP1]

Anyone in from GMC? Was he kept away from the great unwashed and only met managers (and wannabe managers).

[thehappyones]

no he wasn't kept from anybody .........lol

he was invited by us after we had met him a few times at parliment

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Key 2 learning https://www.myroyalmail.com/mrm/appnews ... aspx?i=638" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Monday 12 March

First Minister Alex Salmond praised our learning centres as he presented six colleagues with certificates for completing courses.

The Key 2 Learn Centre at Glasgow mail centre, which we run with the CWU, gives 1,100 employees access to learning in the workplace.

Already 482 postmen and women have used the centre since it opened in September 2009, taking part in more than 50 learning courses, from computing skills to foreign languages.

‘So important’
The First Minister met eight CWU learning representatives, five of whom have received awards for excellence in promoting workplace learning.

He said: ‘Employers, workers, unions and communities working in partnership with Government to promote workplace learning benefits all of us - which is why it's so important to recognise achievements like those here.’

Opportunities
Mike Hewitt, Glasgow mail centre manager, said: ‘We firmly believe that by encouraging people to engage in lifelong learning, the business will also reap the benefits.’

We run similar centres at Edinburgh mail centre and in Parcelforce Worldwide’s Scottish headquarters in Glasgow.

The Key 2 Learn Centre can be accessed throughout the working day by all employees including those on the nightshift.

Mr Salmond also saw our £400 million modernisation programme and new automation.

Over 90% of mail is now automated at Glasgow mail centre instead of being hand sorted.

Five new intelligent letter sorting machines and 10 compact sequencing sorters have been installed.

Glasgow is also the first centre in Scotland to be awarded bronze status as part of the World Class Mail programme.