Union chief calls for clarity on public service cuts – BBC News

The head of Scotland’s largest public services union has urged the Scottish government to be more transparent on potential public sector cuts.

Lilian Macer from Unison Scotland accused ministers of threatening public sector job cuts without consultation.

The government said it would work with trade unions and commit to a policy of no compulsory redundancies.

Ms Macer told BBC Scotland’s The Sunday Show that workers were worried as no details had been shared about the number of jobs that could be lost.

Deputy first minister and finance secretary Ms Robison said more pressure had been put on her spending plans following Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement in November.

Her assessment was that the public sector would have to change “in terms of its size and shape”, adding: “I’m not going to arbitrarily announce a figure that will worry people.”

When the Scottish budget for 2024-25 was announced, Ms Robison said the government could not address financial challenges through tax alone or by delivering public services in “traditional ways”.

“Our approach must be investment and reform,” she said. “Working in partnership with Scotland’s trade unions, we’ll take action to ensure our services remain sustainable, improve outcomes and support the people in communities who need them most.”

But Ms Macer said Scotland should brace itself for cuts to public services as the Scottish government was “looking to attack public services in terms of how they’re delivered, and also that workforce”.

She added: “I think politicians need to be honest about which vital public services they want Unison members to stop delivering.”

Ms Macer said the Scottish government had not contacted the union to discuss any potential cuts to public services or how it would impact the workforce.

She went on: “The Scottish government recognise the value of public services on the one hand, and then on the other hand they’re now saying those services will need to be cut.

“That is unacceptable behaviour from the Scottish government. They should be picking up the phone and calling up the union instead without worrying those members of staff delivering those services.”

She added: “We’ve got public sector workers moving into the New Year wondering if their jobs are safe or not.”

About 542,800 people work in the public sector in Scotland, with almost half that number in local government.

Ms Macer confirmed Unison would fight any compulsory redundancies and the union would contact the Scottish government again in the New Year for clarity on the situation.

She added: “Right now, we have huge unmet need in our communities. People waiting on care packages, we’ve got record numbers of delayed discharges in hospitals.

“When we are talking about shrinking the public services, what the cabinet secretary is effectively saying is that services will be cut and workers need to work harder because we won’t see more workers in the public services. We need to see a bit more detail.”

According the Fraser of Allander Institute, the Scottish government is facing a £1.5bn black hole.

In 2021-22, employee costs were the largest element of Scottish local authorities gross service expenditure, accounting for £8.6bn.

A Scottish government spokesperson said: “Ministers have set out in the Scottish budget that they will work in partnership with trade unions to ensure our services remain fiscally sustainable and improve outcomes for the people and communities that need them most.

“Creating financially sustainable person-centred public services is one of our key priorities. That’s why we are working across the public sector to reform services, ensuring workforces are sustainable, efficient and meet the needs of the people of Scotland.”