The Cuts that are happening now… A snapshot from Scotland

Summary by JC from UNISON Scotland website: Aberdeen City Council’s has announced shock proposals to make more than 900 people compulsorily redundant, following the workforce’s refusal to accept pay cuts. The severity of these measures has caused the Scottish Executive to intervene.

John Swinney, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, said today that it is "important" that Aberdeen City Council should "fully consider" the Scottish Government’s approach to avoid compulsory redundancies. Mr Swinney said he was working on a framework agreement that provides an assurance of no compulsory redundancies based on the delivery of flexibility in the workforce.

Karen Davidson, branch secretary for Aberdeen City UNISON said:

"We have been very disappointed at the Council’s recent refusal to discuss realistic alternatives to compulsory redundancies - I hope that the Council will now listen to the Scottish Government and enter into meaningful talks with us.

"Obviously any proposals have to be acceptable to our members, who’ll be fully consulted on any new ideas that the Council comes up with to save money but also save jobs.

"UNISON wants to protect public services in Aberdeen and we need a financially stable Council – we do not think that sacking over 900 people will achieve either of these things so we’re willing to talk to our employer about alternatives."

Aberdeen’s destructive approach comes on the back of services being run by temporary and agency staff, while the authority employs consultants to prepare services for privatisation.

Commenting on Aberdeen City Council’s proposals UNISON Branch Secretary Karen Davidson has said: "We have already started the process for potential industrial action. There have been no negotiations. It was a political decision to demand this 5 per cent pay cut. It was either we accepted it or rejected it and our members have rejected it. The workforce are deeply disappointed and disillusioned by the council's decision. The employer has treated them with contempt and it looks as if we are bound for confrontation with the council”.

…and in South Lanarkshire UNISON

The analysis of the proposals has been carried out by the UNISON in South Lanarkshire reveals that the impact of the government's policies will be felt hardest by older people, disabled people, children at school who have additional support needs and poor families. This is the conclusion from an analysis of South Lanarkshire Council's budget cuts package.

Of the £27.7m of cuts that the council need to make following cuts in the budget as a result of the Tory-led government's public sector cuts, 20.6% of the proposals are directly targeted at these vulnerable groups.

The union's South Lanarkshire branch secretary, Stephen Smellie, said: "This is despite the council trying to protect the most vulnerable by firstly making savings in other areas. The government claim that we are all in this together is shown to be a lie. Whilst the poorest and most vulnerable in South Lanarkshire are paying for the crisis they had nothing to do with causing, the bankers are still to get their bonuses and MPs debate whether to give themselves a pay rise.

"Even at this late stage we are urging the council to look again at these proposals and try to protect the most vulnerable.

However it is government policy which needs to change."

The UNISON analysis has been sent to all South Lanarkshire councillors and council directors.

And In The Police Service..

UNISON Scotland has noted "The Scottish Government’s plan to recruit 1000 police officers is merely a cosmetic political exercise. Police boards face a real terms cut of at least 6% and, as the government have instructed that police officer numbers have to be maintained, the cuts will fall almost entirely on police (civilian) staff. Police Boards have reported that they will have to backfill civilian posts with police officers. This means more police officers will be taken off the street to perform tasks they are unsuited or unqualified to do – at a huge additional cost to the taxpayer."

The prospect of forcing out a large chunk of Scotland’s 6500 police staff is already causing a backlash.
Civilian police staff is on the front line of law enforcement. Control room operators, forensic officers and detention staff is all part of a police force, as are fingerprint specialists and scene-of-crime officials.
For large organisations to function smoothly, forces also require supervisors, IT experts and a human resources team. In seven of the eight forces, police staff account for between 30-38% of all employees. If you sack police staff you cut frontline policing. This is great news for criminals as officers are taken off the beat to do their jobs.

Meanwhile UNISON’s Scottish police branches are grappling with intolerable service conditions proposals from employers that will seen some members face from 20 to 30% of their income cut as proposals are put forward to change allowances for shifts and unsociable hours working. Raymond Brown of Strathclyde Police Staff branch commented:

“ Many members are wondering if it will be worthwhile having a job with salary cuts of these levels, as they will face losing a large proportion of their income, enough to force them to lose their home”.

AND IN COLLEGES …………

UNISON says the savage cuts being imposed across Glasgow’s colleges will have a devastating impact on employers, families and entire communities.

Last month the Scottish Funding Council announced that colleges across the country must reduce their budgets by more than 10 per cent this year alone. College bosses have already indicated that this will lead to a loss of courses, a loss of staff and, in turn, a loss of educational opportunities for students.

UNISON’s City of Glasgow branch says it will continue to oppose cuts and says it will not rule out industrial action if forced job cuts are imposed.

Jim Snell, of UNISON’s City of Glasgow branch, said:

“Cutting funding for higher and further education will not help to rebuild the economy. These cuts will not only affect students, it will affect employers, families and entire communities.

“We want to work with colleges to protect our services and ensure there is no need for forced job cuts, however, if compulsory redundancies are imposed we will not rule out industrial action.

“UNISON will continue to oppose cuts, as every cut affects the services we can provide to our students. Scotland’s students didn’t cause this crisis, so why should they be left to pay the price for the bankers’ mistakes?”