Trade union official David Scott, GMB (JTU) and Cllr Jim Bollan of the Community Party.
By Bill Heaney
Updated on April 10, 2023
Why are senior and chief officers at West Dunbartonshire Council continuing to sit on their fat wallets with inflated salaries?
While the lower ranks are facing redundancy and public services for the most needy are being slashed?
Trade union GMB and other staff unions said today that they are “in total agreement regarding the slashing of vital services”.
The Joint Trade Union met with managers and employees yesterday.
David Scott, GMB (JTU), said later: “It’s clear that this situation is a complete mess with so many unanswered questions.
“Some teams in the Working4You (W4U) section are being decimated and having to go from having 11 employees to only three.
“This involves cuts to the Welfare Rights/Money Advice Services section.
Cllr Jim Bollan, of the Community Party, is supporting the trade unions in their fight with the Labour-controlled council to save these jobs.
He said: “”Members are asking why no cuts have been made to senior/chief officers during this process.
“I have been made aware today that the Labour Council will cut 28 full-time jobs from the Welfare Rights/Money Advice Services, which will impact heavily on the poorest and most vulnerable in our communities.
“We are in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis with food inflation at 16 per cent and the cost of gas and electricity almost doubled while the Tory Government cuts help to millions of families.
“We need these vital services to be increased, not savagely cut which will bring untold misery and deeper poverty to thousands of local families.
“CAB [Citizens’ Advice] advised us only last week there has been a huge increase in the number of constituents seeking help from them in the past year, with over 13,000 inquiries.
“Eighty per cent of these inquiries were about benefits, debt and utility debts.
“Labour needs to urgently reverse these deep cuts to this vital service to ensure every citizen who needs help, assistance, support and advice can receive it when they need it most.”
* There is a full list of the new rates of welfare benefits elsewhere in The Democrat today.
West Dunbartonshire Branch of Unison
Clydebank Trades Union Council have organised local hustings meetings – all local candidates have been invited to attend
This is an opportunity for the electorate (me, you, us) to meet with candidates, hear their views and to ask them questions
Meeting details in the photo attached to this post (below), the blue links take you to events created in the West Dunbartonshire Against Austerity page.
Please click on the event and then click “GOING” if you plan to attend
Clydebank HUSTINGS
Dumbarton & Alexandria HUSTINGS
International Workers Memorial Day
