Fight the onslaught against council workers in Aberdeen
Reject austerity - set a no cuts budget
Socialist Party Scotland condemns the threats from Aberdeen City Council to make millions in cuts on the backs of hard working council employees. Their proposals are to slash the working week of council staff while at the same time introducing a pay freeze. What a kick in the teeth for workers battling against rising prices of food, energy and travel costs.
Last year the SNP-Lib Dem council leadership proposed a plan to cut £5 million from the wage bill. They have floated a corporate proposal that involves cutting the working week from 37 to 35 hours for non-term time full time council staff. Socialists and trade unionists support the cutting of the working week but without loss of pay.
In Aberdeen, in contrast, the proposal being considered is to cut the working week and introduce a wage freeze – in reality a pay cut, possibly for years. Nor have council bosses ruled out using fire and rehire to achieve their wage reduction scheme.
As Sean Robertson, GMB organiser for Aberdeen City Council commented: “During bargaining, GMB Scotland directly asked Isla Newcombe, chief officer for people and citizen services, if Aberdeen City Council would rule out the use of fire and rehire…She provided no such assurances, therefore we can only conclude that the council is considering this.”
Socialist Party Scotland will support any and all actions taken by the unions to fight these attacks.
This onslaught on council workers is a result of a brutal cuts-making council in Aberdeen, in place since 2022. The council is dominated by the SNP, making a mockery of their pledges in the past of resisting austerity, along with a handful of Lib Dem councillors.
Socialist Party Scotland and the Scottish Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition demands an end to the scandalous actions of the council leadership. Instead of heaping further misery on council workers, councillors should fight austerity not implement it.
By setting a no cuts budgets through the use of a combination of borrowing powers, reserves and financial capitalisation, a stand could be taken against the cuts agenda.
It would be a bridgehead to build a mass campaign to demand a return of the hundreds of millions stolen from Aberdeen since 2010. We know the SNP, like Labour before them, won’t lift a finger to do that.
That’s why we need a fighting socialist and trade union-based electoral alternative in the form of a mass workers’ party to be built. If you agree, join us in that fight.
