PCS activists are leading the fightback against the government’s unprecedented attacks on public sector workers and services, the welfare state, communities, jobs and benefits launched by the comprehensive spending review.
Chancellor George Osborne announced on 20 October that 490,000 public sector jobs would be cut over the next five years, with a 41% cut at the Department for Culture Media and Sport and the Ministry of Justice budget to be reduced by £2 billion with 15,000 jobs to go. The Ministry of Defence will be severely hit with 25,000 posts cut.
There will be a 26% cut to the Department for Work and Pension’s core budget and a £7 billion cut in welfare, with 15,000 job losses. Budgets will be slashed by 25% in Business, Skills and Innovation, 29% at Defra and £1.5 billion at the Home Office. The coalition also announced a 15% ‘resource saving’ at HMRC, leading to 11,500 job losses and a £1.8 billion cut in public sector pensions.
