Speaking today (Tuesday) in response to the First Minister’s Programme for Government, UNISON’s Scottish secretary, Lilian Macer said: “Public service workers will feel left behind in today’s programme for government.
“Our public services are in crisis and the staff delivering them are burnt out. We have a staffing crisis in the NHS with the longest waiting lists in generations; schools and colleges face impending industrial action; and there is unprecedented pressure on social services due to continual underfunding of local government. Our emergency services face huge budget pressures with fire stations facing cuts, a crisis in ambulance waiting times and job freezes in Police Scotland.
“We had hoped for more from the First Minister programme today, it does little to meet the big challenges facing Scotland’s public services.”
ENDS
Notes for editors
UNISON is the Scotland’s largest union. Our 150,000 members work across public services – in local government, the NHS, education, police service, energy and water. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.
You can read the Programme for Government 2023 to 2024 here.
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Danny Phillips: 07717715277 / 07944 664110
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