SNP budget savages jobs and public services
The SNP government have unveiled in their planned budget for 2011 the biggest cuts to public spending ever seen in Scotland. Without even a pretence of a show of resistance to the savage cuts handed down to them by the Con-Dem government, the SNP ministers have proposed cuts of £1.2 billion from April 2011.
The impact of these cuts on public sector workers and working class communities is stark and severe. All pay controlled by the Scottish government is to be frozen for those earning more than £21,000. With inflation running at 4.5%, it represents a deep real terms pay cut. Those on less than £21,000 will get a paltry £250 rise, which does not even cover the rise in living costs. The local authority employers have already imposed three years of pay cuts, supported by all the main parties – including the SNP.
John Swinney, the SNP’s finance minister, scandalously claimed that the pay freeze would help protect jobs and the “public sector head count.” But as the GMB union has pointed out the impact of this one-year budget alone is likely to cost up to 20,000 jobs in the public sector in Scotland.
The SNP budget plans huge deep cuts in higher and further education of 12% – £200m – that will lead to major cuts. Transport, housing, schools, social work and civil service functions will all see major reductions in spending. On top of this the SNP have also demanded as part of their budget a 3% efficiency savings target across the public sector in Scotland – which are nothing more than further cuts of £800 million.
Even SNP First Minister, Alex Salmond admitted earlier this year that “we can’t continue to make efficiency savings without causing significant damage.” And yet efficiencies targets have gone up by 33% in this budget.
Local councils across Scotland will face real term cuts, of 4% from April. This will lead to deep cuts in jobs and services that working class communities rely on.
The SNP have abandoned their so-called opposition to PFI/PPP type schemes. Responding to the huge cuts in capital spending they have proposed to bring in £2.5 billion in private finance for building projects for school, hospitals and other infrastructure projects. This is despite the huge burdens that these schemes put on the public sector in repayment to the already bulging pockets of the banks and private construction companies.
Even the NHS, whose workers now face a wage freeze from April, will see cuts in spending when the costs of inflation are factored in.
While the SNP buckled and proposed this huge cuts package. Labour have welcomed the pay freeze and have fully accepted the need for cuts. None of the establishment parties are prepared to lift a finger to defend jobs, pay or public services.
Build a mass campaign against the cuts
It is vital that a mass campaign of opposition to these cuts is built. The trade unions must respond to the attacks on their member’s pay and jobs and our public services. An urgent council of war should be organised involving the public sector unions to prepare for coordinated mass action, including preparing for a one-day public sector strike as early in 2011 as practicable.
The trade unions and local communities should build mass lobbies and protests of councils and the Scottish parliament. The key demand should be that the elected councillors and MSPs refuse to make the cuts and set needs budgets that protect jobs and services. This should be backed up by the building of a mass campaign to demand a return of the £3.3 billion stolen from Scottish public services by the Con-Dem government in the spending review in October.
A Scottish anti-cuts alliance is going to be launched in January that aims to unite the local anti-cuts campaigns and trade unions to assist in building the campaign.
The vast majority of our spineless politicians will not take the “Liverpool road” and refuse to make the cuts. That’s why we need to also build a political voice for workers, communities and trade unionists. Socialist Party Scotland is taking part in discussions to prepare a left, anti-cuts coalition to challenge for the Scottish elections in May 2011.
It’s time we put the blame for this crisis where it lies. With the bankers, the rich capitalists and the bosses’ politicians not low paid workers, the poor and working class communities.
