Unite anger over cuts’ threat to Liverpool charity despite
Cameron’s ‘Big Society’ pledge to the city
2 February 2011
Plans to cut two-thirds of the workforce at Liverpool Charity
and Voluntary Services as a result of government funding cuts were
condemned today (2 February) by Unite, the UK’s largest union.
Workers were left angry and stunned when Liverpool Charity and
Voluntary Services chief executive Alan Lewis revealed how many
jobs would go and its budget figures in a recent comment to Third
Sector Online, the UK's leading publication for the voluntary and
not-for-profit sector.
Unite condemned the insensitive way the information came out,
accusing Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services of failing to
hold open and meaningful talks with the union and provide the vital
information on workers' futures that the union has been pushing
for.
Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services plans to cut 40 jobs
out of 62 as it faces an £800,000 shortfall for the year 2011-2012
and up to 500 more could also be lost in Liverpool’s voluntary
sector.
Liverpool was identified by the prime minister as a ’Big
Society‘ trailblazer but Unite says the severity of the cuts leaves
the government's words ringing very hollow.
These latest cuts follows Liverpool city council plans to axe
1,500 Liverpool jobs by the end of March 2013 and Sefton council’s
proposals to cut 1,000 jobs.
Unite national officer for the voluntary sector, Rachael
Maskell, said: “We cannot afford to let these jobs go in Liverpool.
There will be no ’Big Society‘, there will be no ’little society‘
and there will be no such thing as ’society’.
“Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Servicesis meant to help other
charities function. With Liverpool Charity and Voluntary
Services losing two thirds of its staff, what hopes do smaller
organisations have of surviving the onslaught?”
"So much for the prime minister's ’Big Society‘. These
cuts will mean that vital services will no longer be available to
the most marginalised in our communities. As we see
unemployment rising yet again on Merseyside while city bonuses and
tax avoidance go unchecked, the people of this city will get
rightly angry.
Unite regional officer, Steve Power, said: “Our members feel
they have been left in the dark all along regarding the future of
their jobs. It is shameful that the workers have to find out the
true scale of cuts in an on-line news article.
“Unite will be seeking urgent talks with Liverpool council to
try to protect these jobs and vital services.”
ENDS
For more information please contact Karen Viquerat,
communications officer, on 07768 931 316
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