Cuts: Real picture emerges as branches build up for April 10

COUNCILS, VOLUNTARY SECTOR AND POLICE ALL HIT AS HEALTH FACES CUTS TOO

by John Stevenson

As branches gear up for the ‘stop the cuts’ demo on 10 April, the real picture of job losses was emerging across local government in Scotland, with the major impact of Health Service cuts set to bite next year.

Glasgow plans to shed 4,000 jobs in an attempt to save £65 million a year. It is hoped the losses will be voluntary but UNISON and local communities fear the effects on services.

Branch secretary Brian Smith said, “As unemployment rises and the social fallout of the recession grows the demands on Glasgow’s services increases. The council is proposing to cut services just as the demand for those very services increases.”

Branch chairperson and Scottish Convener Mike Kirby said, ‘Quality public services, particularly care, are dependent upon people providing services for the elderly, early years and the infirm. “A loss of people means loss of quality of care. Quality of care for those in need is a measure of a civilised society.”

Asking the question branches are asking across Scotland, Mike said in the Sunday Herald, “how do we manage the workload situations for those that are left?”

Edinburgh is facing 700 job losses and compulsory redundancies have not been ruled out as the council tries to cut £90million over three years. On top of that, the council is looking for people to take unpaid time off or career breaks.

City of Edinburgh Branch’s website asks the same question as Mike, “it is what it means for those that are left over that we are worried about.” “Cut the people and you cut the services, it is that simple”, said the branch’s lead negotiator Kevin Duguid.

“These cuts will affect everyone. It is no way to build out of a recession”.

£40 million in cuts means North Ayrshire will lose 800 posts.

Aberdeen City faced cuts of £23m, cutting over 400 jobs and the picture is depressingly similar across the country.

All councils are predicting even worse next year with Edinburgh in particular planning a massive outsourcing exercise that could affect one in four staff.

Highland faces £60 million in cuts over the next three years.

In addition to £4million this year, East Dunbartonshire faces cuts of up to £16 million in the next two years.

UNISON East Dunbartonshire’s Jim Burnett predicted up to 250 job losses.”This leaves the council with serious difficulties about how they run core services. Our bottom line is there can’t be any compulsories.”

The real effect of many of the cuts will only emerge in the coming weeks. Particularly hit will be the voluntary and community sector, often the providers of essential services, as grants are reduced or projects shut down completely.

“Local authority budget cuts of 10-20% in voluntary sector grant support mean even more jobs going”, said Mike Kirby.

Police are also facing cuts - £16 million alone in Strathclyde - as UNISON Police staff chair Raymond Brown told the rally on 6 February. These cuts will fall disproportionately on support staff.

“This is a return to 1970’s policing, most forward looking forces are looking to expand the role of support staff to release police officers to tackle crime”, said Dave Watson, UNISON Scottish Organiser.

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