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Edinburgh Council to cut 3,000 jobs says Unison | Edinburgh Council to cut 3,000 jobs says Unison |
(35 minutes later) | |
A union has warned more than 3,000 jobs could be lost at City of Edinburgh Council as it attempts to cut tens of millions of pounds from its budget. | A union has warned more than 3,000 jobs could be lost at City of Edinburgh Council as it attempts to cut tens of millions of pounds from its budget. |
Unison said one in every six Edinburgh council staff could be cut over the next four years, almost three times as many as first thought. | Unison said one in every six Edinburgh council staff could be cut over the next four years, almost three times as many as first thought. |
The union's Amanda Kerr said the effect would be "devastating". | |
The council said they would be outlining its "proposed next steps" in the next few days. | |
In January, the council - run by a Labour/SNP coalition, announced that 1,200 roles were set to go. | |
It set out proposals to plug a £67m funding gap but insisted there would be no compulsory redundancies. | It set out proposals to plug a £67m funding gap but insisted there would be no compulsory redundancies. |
Responding to Unison's latest claims, finance convener Alasdair Rankin said: "The council has been clear about the scale of the financial challenge facing us for years. The city's population is growing and demand for council services is higher than ever. | |
"We need to make very substantial savings over the next four years and we have already put in place a number of key measures to achieve the required efficiencies." | |
Mr Rankin, from the council's SNP group, added: "No-one ever said this was going to be easy or straightforward but we want to safeguard those services as much as possible. | |
"Realistically, to make the necessary savings, we have little option but to consider reducing the number of people who work for the council. | |
"Bearing in mind we are keenly aware that this is about people we will work closely with our staff and the trade unions during this difficult time." | |
Lead Unison negotiator Tom Connolly said: "Every job lost is a service lost, a school closed, a care home closed, young and old put at risk. | Lead Unison negotiator Tom Connolly said: "Every job lost is a service lost, a school closed, a care home closed, young and old put at risk. |
"Unison will defend these services and any compulsory redundancies will trigger our longstanding policy to ballot members on action." | "Unison will defend these services and any compulsory redundancies will trigger our longstanding policy to ballot members on action." |
He said the union would lobby the council's finance and resources committee on 24 September. | He said the union would lobby the council's finance and resources committee on 24 September. |
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