Union members set to stage city protest at social care cuts

Published on Saturday 22 December 2007 10:43

UNION members were due to hand out leaflets on Princes Street today in protest against social care "cutbacks" at the city council.

A series of cost-cutting exercises have been initiated in recent months in a bid to tackle the council's financial crisis.

George Lee, Edinburgh branch secretary of public sector union Unison claimed home help services are being "run down".

He said: "Cuts attack the services and resources available to help the frail and disabled to remain in their own homes with dignity. Every cut means the loss or reduction of a service. As council social care workers we see the direct effect of these cuts on the people we serve. "That is why we are now asking the public to join in our campaign to tell the politicians we will not stand by and accept these cuts now, nor will we accept the additional cuts planned for next year.

"Since these cuts have been implemented, staff are under even more pressure to provide a service which is rushed, leaving service-users with less choice and a service that only maintains a basic level of care. That is unacceptable in this day and age."

A council spokeswoman commented: "There have been no cuts. Instead we are faced with increasing demand but are still spending more this year than last year."