Up to 1,000 council jobs to go at Sandwell, says GMB
Yet more public sector jobs face the axe in the West Midlands as Sandwell Council prepares to shed 700 posts. Trade union GMB said it expects the number to rise to 1,000 job losses over the next three years.
The council must shed £64.6m – or 28 per cent - from its budget over the next three years.
GMB said council leaders had informed the union of between 600 and 700 jobs which will be lost over the coming years.
The council faces a cut of £44.1m in 2011/12, a further cut of £10.7m in 2012/13 and another £9.8m in 2013/14.
Mohammed Khalik, GMB regional organiser, said "Sandwell Council has told GMB that there will be a reduction in staffing of between 600 and 700 over the next three years. Looking at the financial figures I think the job losses will be a lot higher. I fear that over 1,000 jobs will be lost.
"Cuts of this magnitude will be devastating for services, jobs and the economy in Sandwell. The impact on the vulnerable and how this impacts at a human level has not been factored in by the Tory Liberal authors of these cuts. GMB will be seeking contact with community groups and users to look to mitigate the worst aspects of these cuts.”
