UNISON reaches out to community in campaign against cuts

Date: Thurs 21 January 2010


Glasgow City Council’s largest trade union is to reach out to community organizations and the people of Glasgow to build a broad campaign against the public service cuts being proposed by the council and its arms length trusts and companies.

The 12,000 strong city branch are organizing an open meeting for trade unions, public service workers, community organisations and the citizens of Glasgow on Saturday 23 January @ 11am, UNISON Branch office, 4th Floor (lift), 18 Albion Street, Candleriggs, Glasgow.

Cuts proposed by the council across Glasgow include:
* 12 Community Centres, a Pool and a Library to close
* Cuts in home care services and support to disabled people
* Welfare rights jobs lost and community workers cut by 50%
* Grants to voluntary and community organisations cut by 20% by 2013
* Over 600 jobs in the city lost

UNISON Branch Secretary Brian Smith said “Neither the people of Glasgow nor public service workers caused this economic crisis and they should not have to pay to bail out irresponsible bankers. UNISON has started a Scotland-wide campaign to unite users and providers of public services to stand up against the political demand to cut our services. This is a first step in building that Public Works campaign in Glasgow”

UNISON’s Public Works campaign points out that maintaining current levels of council spending would not only maintain services, but help the Glasgow economy during the recession by protecting jobs, and keeping contracts to private sector firms, many of which are under great trading pressure.

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.

“This policy also threatens economic recovery. Firms often rely on public sector contracts to keep them going during hard times like these. UNISON wants to:
* Protect vital council and community services
* Protect jobs in the city during the recession
* Build a united campaign of workers, service users and local communities”

ENDS


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