You are:

Civil service union responds to Swinney's delay in UK government cuts

18 May 2010

The Public and Commercial Services union welcomes the commitment made by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance to honour the no compulsory redundancy agreement reached with unions in devolved government department and agencies.

The union believes that this guarantee, along with the Mr Swinney’s announced delay in implementing the devolved share of the UK government’s immediate £6 billion budget cut, provides short term relief for staff in the sector who have already taken, three days industrial action this year alongside over 200,000 colleagues in UK departments.

The previous UK government’s proposals to rip up members accrued rights under the Civil Service Compensation Scheme, without the agreement of the union was ruled illegal and quashed at the High Court last week.

 

Lynn Henderson, PCS Scottish secretary said: “The new UK government’s plans to immediately cut £6 billion from departmental budgets is of major concern for jobs, pay, pensions and public services delivered by our members the length and breadth of Britain.

Our union’s annual conference opens tomorrow to debate how we build a concerted national campaign in workplaces, along with communities and placing political pressure on politicians.

 

Mr Swinney’s plan to delay the cuts in devolved budgets until after the Scottish Parliament election is of short term relief to our members in devolved departments and agencies.

The decision to defer cuts, however, is likely to have a devastating impact in 2011 and it is now imperative that he meets with civil service unions at the earliest opportunity to discuss this very serious situation.”

 

 

View all News