Multi-million pound cuts to council services and thousands of local government jobs lost

15 Feb 2013

A range of news reports today highlight multi-million pound cuts to council services and the loss of thousands of local government jobs around Scotland.

BBC Scotland reported on a third of Scotland’s councils setting budgets.

The Herald's front page headline was: “Thousands of jobs go as councils wield the axe.”

And STV said that millions of pounds and hundreds of jobs have been cut.

UNISON Scotland highlighted last week how council services are taking the brunt of spending cuts and called for a review of funding.

Stephanie Herd, chair of the Local Government Committee, said:

“Essential services provided by councils, including education, home care for elderly and disabled people, social work, environmental health, trading standards and many more are all affected by cuts and job losses.

“The austerity measures imposed by governments at Westminster and Holyrood are not needed. There is a better way and we will fight to retain good quality services. Paying off council and other public sector workers does not help local economies.”

UNISON Scotland works with the STUC to show that There is A Better Way 

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Scottish Budget – council services hit hardest – UNISON calls for funding review

6 Feb 2013

Public services union UNISON today warned that vital council services are being hit hardest by budget cuts and called for a review of local government funding.

UNISON Scotland warned that already councils have lost 34,500 jobs since 2008/9, with severe impacts on services right across the country. And they are taking the brunt of budget cuts in the Scottish Government’s three year spending plans.

Stephanie Herd, chair of the union’s Local Government Committee, said: “Local services that people rely on daily are already under immense strain, with more spending cuts to come.

“Given the scale of the damage that is being done, the further cuts we face and the ongoing unfair council tax freeze, we need a much wider review of how to fund services.”

Stephanie added: “There are stealth cuts too, where staff are struggling with massive workloads and increased demand. We cannot continue like this if we want to retain proper quality services.

“Essential services provided by councils, including education, home care for elderly and disabled people, social work, environmental health, trading standards and many more are all affected by cuts and job losses.

“The austerity measures imposed by governments at Westminster and Holyrood are not needed. There is a better way and we will fight to retain good quality services. Paying off council and other public sector workers does not help local economies.”

UNISON is challenging councillors who are setting budgets this month, asking whether they will be the agents of cuts, or will they instead champion their local communities.

Note to editors:

Already a total of 51,700 jobs have been lost in the public sector in Scotland since 2008/9.  Analysis shows that 66.7% have been from local government, which makes up 57.3% of the workforce. Further details in our public sector workforce briefing.

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UNISON Scotland comment on local government pay offer

22 November 2012

UNISON Scotland is set to consult members on a pay offer for local government workers.

Dougie Black, Joint Trade Union Side Secretary, said that today’s offer from COSLA will be discussed initially at a conference in Glasgow next Friday (30 Nov).

He said: “The offer was made to us at a meeting of the joint secretaries which was not a negotiating meeting.

“The employers are offering a 1% pay increase from April 1 2013, a one year settlement. That is no real surprise given government pay policy.

“They have also made an offer to apply what they call a Scottish Local Government Living Wage of £7.50 per hour from April 1 2013.

“We welcome the fact they have made an offer on the Living Wage as this has been part of our claim for the last couple of years. We would need to discuss with the employers their proposals for implementation and the details of how it would apply.”

Stephanie Herd, Chair of the union’s Local Government Committee, said: “We have a local government conference on Friday next week. We will ask delegates how they want to consult members over the next few weeks.

"We would then expect to take the results of that consultation back to the employers in the New Year.”

ENDS

Notes for editors

Full details of the joint pay claim made earlier this year by UNISON Scotland, the GMB and UNITE unions, are online at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/news/2012/mayjune/0805.htm

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Pensions: We need to be ready to fight says Stephanie Herd

As even Michael Portillo was saying that Danny Alexander’s pensions comments were ‘provocative’ while talks were still going on, UNISON Local Government delegates backed a 13 point campaign to defend our pension scheme.