UNISON: Ceredigion council leader wrong to talk of cutting services

UNISON regional organiser Joe Donnelly. Photo credit: Natasha Hirst

The leader of Ceredigion County Council was wrong to talk publicly about cutting jobs before speaking directly to employees, according to UNISON Cymru Wales.

The public services trade union says staff working throughout the pandemic were upset to read in the media they might lose their jobs.

UNISON has also criticised the council leader for arguing job losses are necessary when Ceredigion’s budget has not reduced.

Welsh Government’s provisional settlement increases local authority budgets in real terms. Whilst UNISON had lobbied ministers for much more money to rebuild public services after ten years of austerity, there is no rationale for jobs to be shed in Ceredigion.

Joe Donnelly, UNISON Cymru Wales regional organiser said,

“Ceredigion leader’s recent comments on the Welsh Governments settlement figure are alarming and ill-judged.

“UNISON hasn’t been consulted on the council budget and we are strongly opposed to any suggestion there must be staff cuts in care and education services. It is unacceptable for there to be any talk of redundancies when the budget has not reduced.

“While the pandemic has raged through our communities, public service workers have supported local people with skill and dedication under extraordinarily challenging circumstances. They have done this at a cost to their own health, wellbeing, and that of their families. Reading they might now lose their jobs has only added to the immense pressure staff are enduring.

“Our plea to Ceredigion County Council is, work with UNISON to ensure hard-working council employees and the most vulnerable people they serve in our communities, are not put at further risk.”

Contact

Alastair Gittins, UNISON press officer on 07816 53 83 97