Justice chiefs yesterday played down trade union claims that an indefinite strike by community service supervisors would lead to a rise in jail sentences for minor offenders.
Justice chiefs yesterday played down trade union claims that an indefinite strike by community service supervisors would lead to a rise in jail sentences for minor offenders.
Unison said that action by 21 Glasgow council employees, who oversee work in the community carried out as punishment for law-breaking, could leave courts with no alternative but to hand out custodial sentences to low-level criminals.
The supervisors currently look after about 150 offenders who get training or undertake unpaid work such as gardening, painting, and decorating.
Unison, which represents the staff in the social work department, said the action was triggered by a dispute over pay with Glasgow City Council with a new pay deal posing a possible salary cut of £1500 a year for some employees.
Unison said in a statement: "This strike will mean that this alternative to prison service in Glasgow will stop as of January 6, 2009."
But a spokeswoman for Kenny MacAskill, Justice Secretary, said it was unlikely the industrial action would have such a direct effect on court business.
"We would certainly hope not," she said. "Community Supervision Orders are normally completed within a year and we would hope that this strike would not effect them in this way."
Glasgow City Council said it was "deeply disappointed" by the decision to strike and added measures were in place to minimise disruption.
A spokesman added: "Given the level of skills required to do the job, we believe we have made an appropriate offer to the staff concerned."
A spokeswoman for the Scottish Courts Service said that sheriffs were aware of the strike but added that community service orders take time to implement and court business would proceed as normal.
