Council job cuts are 'humiliating blow' to SNP
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"When Labour were in power they didn't have a ‘no compulsory redundancy' policy and they have never asked us to have one either."
"The report showed that despite having to find additional savings of around £30 million every year, we have been able to restrict the number of compulsory redundancies to fewer than 40 full-time equivalent posts out of a workforce of over 20,000.
"Councillors who turned up at Thursday's meeting heard that most of the jobs that have been ‘lost' had very short working hours, often only five hours per week, and about 70% of them already had other jobs with the council.
"This demonstrates that the alternative measures we have been taking are helping to avoid, as far as possible, a situation where someone in full-time employment loses their only source of income.
"All the evidence shows that if Labour were still in charge things would be an awful lot worse for council employees and for the people who depend on our services."
The SNP manifesto states the party is committed to a policy of no compulsory redundancies and "agreement has been reached" to deliver on the pledge.
"We are working to extend it across the public sector," the manifesto continues.
"This will provide certainty for thousands of households across Scotland who are already dealing with pressures on family budgets caused by rising prices and higher UK taxes such as VAT."
Official papers from Fife Council state that, from April 1 last year to March 31 this year, a total of 191 council positions were axed through compulsory redundancies.
These included 151 in the education department, eight in housing and communities and 32 in social work.
03.32pm - 27.04.2011 A Nonny Mouse - Dalgety Bay, UK Report This
On compulsory redundancies - some (if not all) of these may have been voluntary in all but name. Some income protection insurers will not pay out if staff take voluntary redundancy, so although staff may have chosen to go they legally are "compulsory" redundant to make sure they get insurance cash.
08.19pm - 30.04.2011 Frances - Glenrothes, Scotland Report This
Staff were all asked who wanted to go and as expected, managers were knocked down in the rush. Morale is low as staff are caught up in the petty political point-scoring by politicians who know very little and understand less.
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