Activists' zone
'An assault on Scotland's public services'
(29/07/10) UNISON has rejected Scotland’s Independent Budget Review report as an assault on the country’s public services.
The review, commissioned by the Scottish government ahead of the UK comprehensive spending review and what is expected to be a large cut in the Scottish government’s block grant from Westminster, recommended a fall in public sector employment of between 5.7% and 10% by 2014-15, when it reported today.
But UNISON Scotland organiser Glyn Hawker said the report "trots out the same tired old dogma that ordinary people need to pay the price for a financial crisis they did not create".
The review was conducted by a three-man panel, chaired by Scottish Enterprise chief Crawford Beveridge.
"Crawford Beveridge said in March that we faced Sophie’s Choice, and there is no way to implement these cuts without causing great pain," noted Ms Hawker.
"But UNISON Scotland believes there is an alternative that politicians should be fighting for – an alternative that looks at what public services the Scottish people want in a decent society.
"We can afford quality services. We should not be hitting ordinary people with cuts to services, to pay and jobs and family income, when bankers still pick up huge bonuses and don’t pay their fair share towards services that we all rely on.
"These proposals will create a more unequal society. Crawford Beveridge said there are no silver bullets. The report says that we need to do more with less. But we can’t – it will be less with less.
"And the end result is that the rich will be able to pay for services, and middle and low income families will be hardest hit."
A Million Voices for Public Services UNISON Scotland
UNISON's submission to the review
UNISON Scotland blog
Scottish government - budget review
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