Date 3 September 2008

Union disbelief as Edinburgh replaces child protection jobs with finance managers

UNISON, the public services union, has slammed Edinburgh Council for creating seven new Finance Managers at the same time as it is cutting ten children's social work staff.

"Just as senior social workers were getting letters asking them to apply for redundancy, the council was advertising for seven new Finance Managers at a cost of up to £300,000. It beggared belief in the first place that Edinburgh, after damning inquiries and inspections, was cutting crucial child protection staff. It is astonishing that the alleged savings will be wiped out by new finance posts", said John Ross, UNISON Edinburgh Branch's Service Conditions Convenor.

"If the Council needed seven new Finance Managers, why were these posts not already on the establishment?" asked Mr Ross. "We are not aware of any consultation with the unions and we have not seen any report to the politicians. I am sure that if there is £300,000 available to spend, the public would want that to go on front-line services".

The union is demanding an urgent meeting with officials and politicians to find out why there is money for these new jobs while they claim there is no money for front-line services.

"This is the wrong time to be creating new support posts when front-line services are under the cosh. We will be asking the Council to hold off until the latest budget out-turn is available and we can see exactly what the Council's budget situation really is", added Mr Ross.

ENDS

News Index | top