Over 140,000 council jobs go so far

The government has been accused of deliberately creating unemployment on a scale that we have not seen before as the GMB general union says that deflation is not the way to growth and a balanced budget.

The GMB’s latest list shows that a total of 140,456 posts are under threat of being made redundant at 203 councils and authorities across Britain. In nearly all these councils a 90 day statutory consultation period is underway on how to deal with these job losses. Councils have given notice that they plan to delete vacant posts and seek volunteers for early retirements and redundancy

Recent additions to the GMB’s list include: 1,800 jobs at Fife Council in Scotland, and 1,000 each at three councils — Leicester City Council, Surrey County Council and the London Borough of Southwark.

GMB general secretary Paul Kenny said; “Any suggestion that frontline services for the most vulnerable people in our society are not being affected by cuts of this scale is simply nonsense.

"The impact for those who depend on these services will be devastating. Some services like meals on wheels in some authorities are now only available to those at death's door."

www.gmb.org.uk/newsroom/latest_news/140456_job_cuts_at_203_counci.aspx