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ABERDEENSHIRE UNISON PRESS RELEASE

10th Feb 2016

Embargo till 11th Feb 2016 09.00am

UNISON urges council to sign up to their commitment to no compulsory redundancies

Members of Aberdeenshire UNISON will be asking elected members to sign up to UNISON’s  “No Compulsory Redundancies” campaign as they arrive at Woodhill House for this year’s budget meeting on Thursday 11th February.

The branch has welcomed the council’s public commitment to no outsourcing of services and no compulsory redundancies, but has warned that non-filling of vacancies and the ending of temporary contracts could have the same effect.

Inez Teece, Branch Secretary said, “The council agrees that its most important resource is its staff and we welcome the commitment Aberdeenshire Council has made publicly to no compulsory redundancies and no outsourcing of services. We believe that most of our elected members will have no problem signing our pledge cards.

 “However we also recognise that these are very challenging times for councils, doing their best to maintain vital services in the face of cuts passed on from Westminster and the budget settlement to local authorities from the Scottish Government.

 “We have called on the council to do all it can to protect the vital services that it provides to all its citizens,  particularly the poorest and most vulnerable, but we know that £28 million cannot be saved without it impacting on services to the public.

“Non-filling of vacancies and the ending of temporary contracts will put further pressure on already hard pressed staff and services will suffer. These are job cuts by any other name,” added Inez.

The branch has also warned that increased charges for services will hit the lowest paid and poorest citizens the hardest as they are the ones who tend to use council services the most and also have less disposable income.

ENDS

For further information contact
Inez Teece, Branch Secretary 07780781953
Kate Ramsden, Branch Chair 07767027722
Sarah Duncan, Regional Organiser 07904342521

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