Date: Monday 16 August 2010

UNISON welcomes call for end to council tax freeze

UNISON Scotland today welcomed the call from Glasgow city council leader Gordon Matheson for an end to the council tax freeze.

Scottish Organiser Dave Watson said that continuing the freeze will add to the scale of damaging cuts to services around the country.

Dave said: “We welcome the warning from Gordon Matheson about an end to the council tax freeze being needed to offset what he described as ‘some of the more brutal cuts’.

“Local authorities should be able to raise funds through the council tax. Using the tax system is much fairer than raising charges for services.

“Charges hit those on low incomes hardest and the council tax freeze benefits the wealthy disproportionately.

“However, this, and making the council tax fairer, is just part of our agenda to protect public services. UNISON’s ‘Public Works’ campaign will be stepped up in the coming months, demonstrating how Scotland can afford quality public services.”

UNISON activists will be meeting with other trade unions and community groups from around Scotland next month for the union’s ‘There is an alternative’ conference.

UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis and STUC Assistant Secretary Stephen Boyd will speak at the public services strategy conference on 4 September in Glasgow.

Conference workshops will look at how fair taxation and a Living Wage can support services and at the alternatives to major cuts and job losses.

The conference is one of a series of autumn union events including a European Trade Union Confederation Day of Action in September and an STUC demonstration in October.

ENDS

Notes for editors:

1. The ‘There is an Alternative’ conference takes place at the Thistle Hotel, Cambridge Street, Glasgow from 11am-3.30pm on Saturday 4 September.

2. Details of the conference are on UNISON Scotland’s website at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/ publicworks/04sep/04Sep_flyerA5.pdf

3. OPERATIONAL NOTE FOR FORWARD PLANNING: News media will be able to attend/film during speeches by Dave Prentis and Stephen Boyd. To arrange an advance interview with Dave Prentis, please contact UNISON Head of Press and Broadcasting Mary Maguire 0207 388 6609 (o) 07771 548 957 (m)

For further information please contact:
Dave Watson, Scottish Organiser 07958 122 409 (m)
Fiona Montgomery, Communications Officer 0141 342 2877 (o) 07908 672 890 (m)

Stay in touch with UNISON Scotland's latest news releases on our website http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/news/index.html and frequent updates on our blog http://unison-scotland.blogspot.com/

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