Council 'cuts to pre-empt coalition plan'

Martin Slack

THOUSANDS of council workers in Yorkshire have received letters warning of possible redundancies as a result of Government spending cuts, unions claimed.

Unison and the GMB said 8,500 workers at Sheffield Council had been sent HR1 forms which they warned could lead to job cuts and changes in terms and conditions.

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The GMB has previously said that plans by the council to make savings of almost 220m in the next four years will lead to more than 1,000 job losses.

A Unison spokesman said: “This is the threat of yet another savage cut on the public sector and jobs. A growing number of local authorities are jumping the gun and making cuts even before next month’s spending review is announced.

“We are seeking urgent meetings with the council and will resist redundancies.”

GMB general secretary Paul Kenny said: “Coming on top of the 26,000 notices issued in Birmingham recently, this nails the lie that the Government’s policy will not cost jobs or cut people’s terms and conditions.”

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Sheffield Council has already been forced to find millions of pounds worth of cuts this financial year but faces a 30 per cent reduction in its budget over the next four years.

An authority spokesman said last night that the forms sent out were a “technical process”, not redundancy notices.