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GLASGOW trade unionists will stage a lunchtime protest outside the city chambers this week against the latest proposed cuts to council jobs and services.
Unison, GMB, Unite and EIS members will call on the city’s politicians on Wednesday, ahead of a council budget meeting, to refuse to make any further cuts.
They are calling on the council to set a one-year no-cuts budget and lead a mass campaign to demand more funding from the Scottish and Westminster governments.
Glasgow has a budget gap of over £150 million in the next three years, the unions said.
This is made up of £108m directly faced by the council plus over £40m from social care services run by the Health and Social Care Partnership, which councillors also make the decisions on.
Unison branch secretary Chris Sermanni said: “The trade unions understand that the SNP, Labour and Greens will all table their own version of cuts and new service charges in an attempt to fill the gap.
“This has been the approach for years and has only led to poorer services, closures and more pain for the people of Glasgow — managing the city’s decline must stop.
“Councillors should lead a fightback, not administer more harm to the city. The current hand-wringing must stop.
“Almost everyone accepts that local government is underfunded, with Glasgow further unfairly treated due to the lack of recognition of its metropolitan status in the West of Scotland or the higher poverty levels across the city.
“The arguments are there. We now need a proper campaign to win more funding.”
