3 February 2010
Care tender fiasco shows need to halt outsourcing
plans till Council can justify figures - UNISON
In the wake of the £250,000 wasted on the
flawed bid to re-tender care services for vulnerable
people, UNISON's Edinburgh Branch has called on
the Council to halt it's 'new business model' outsourcing
plans and open up the books on its figures.
In meetings today (3 Feb) the Council has so far
refused to do so but UNISON lead negotiator Kevin
Duguid will urge a council meeting on Thursday morning
to think again.
"The Evening News clearly has a report showing
that the whole process was flawed. That report needs
to be published if there is to be any transparency
in the Council's sell-off plans. Otherwise how can
we believe any of the claims the council is making
about outsourcing?", said John Stevenson, UNISON
Edinburgh Branch President.
"There is a common sense doubt that most people
must have. If services are delivered in-house with
no need to make a profit, how can they be delivered
more cheaply while making a profit on top?
"Something has to give and that is usually
the quality of the service or indeed the whole service
- along with any decency in the pay and conditions
of those delivering the service.
"You still pay your taxes but instead of the
money going on the service and those who deliver
it, it goes to company profits. That is a disgrace
and it is time for the council to come clean".