24 January 2011
Unison has published its latest list of public sector jobs under threat, warning that mass job losses could destabilise the economic recovery.
A dossier issued by the union today pulls together regional cross-public sector information on jobs placed at risk in the past six weeks. It includes 1,600 jobs at the Heart of England NHS Trust and the latest from councils, including 2,500 jobs to be axed at Nottinghamshire County Council, 2,000 at Manchester City Council, 1,200 at Hampshire County Council and 1,000 at Norfolk County Council.
Unison general secretary Dave Prentis said the dossier made ‘very grim reading’.
He added: ‘With unemployment up to 2.5 million, the coalition cuts are blighting lives and wrecking the country’s chances of recovery. Sacking workers and closing down essential services will not put the economy back on its feet.’
The dossier also revealed that 8,000 jobs in the careers service are to go by the end of March. Unison is predicting that half the careers service workforce could be lost, with some areas losing up to 90% of staff.
Prentis said these cuts would only fuel the problem of youth unemployment.
‘Getting the right help can make or break the future of young people desperately trying to find their feet, as well as workers made redundant struggling to retrain.
‘Cutting 8,000 jobs from the careers service will add to their difficulty… Many young people don’t know which way to turn and now they will have one less place to turn to.’
