SNP in new Aberdeen City Council jobs loss proposal

Aberdeen City Council aims to cut £120m from its budget over five years

SNP councillors in Aberdeen have proposed a deal they claim would mean most staff at risk of compulsory redundancy could leave voluntarily.

The council is planning to make 900 job cuts after staff on more than £21,000 rejected a voluntary 5% pay cut.

SNP group leader and council deputy leader Kevin Stewart said 600 voluntary redundancies could be pursued instead.

Finance Secretary John Swinney earlier criticised the plans to introduce compulsory redundancies.

He said the step was not required and called for dialogue between unions and the local authority.

The SNP/Lib Dem-led council earlier said there was "no alternative" to the cuts as it had to make budget savings of £120m over the next five years.

Mr Stewart said: "We believe that those with the broadest shoulders should bear the most weight.

"Our proposals will include an invitation to the some 120 senior council staff, on a salary of over £50,000, to accept a 5% pay reduction in line with what has already been accepted by administration councillors."

He added: "I have lodged an emergency motion to the finance and resources committee meeting on Tuesday where I hope these proposals will receive the backing of councillors."

Grant Bruce, secretary of the Aberdeen branch of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) union, welcomed the proposal in the hope it could avert the need for compulsory redundancies.

However he warned: "This still leaves us with the problem of decreased services to the public along with increased workloads for the staff left behind."

Hundreds of workers at the council have been invited by their unions to attend a mass meeting this week.

The joint unions said Thursday's meeting would give workers the chance to work out a response to the council's "appalling decision".