Scottish Labour MSP Joe Fagan has secured a statement from the Scottish Government that its no-compulsory-redundancy policy for public services has not changed.
The South Scotland MSP asked in the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday how ministers would involve public-sector workers and trade unions in proposed public-service reforms.
Cabinet Secretary Ivan McKee said workforce engagement was central to the reform programme and that he and the Deputy First Minister were due to meet trade-union representatives later that day.
Fagan presses on compulsory redundancies
Fagan then challenged ministers to explain whether the long-standing policy against compulsory redundancies had changed and whether unions had agreed to any alteration.
McKee told Parliament that the policy remained exactly as before and that ministers had no intention of changing it.
The exchange gives workers a fresh ministerial assurance while the Scottish Government considers wider structural reform, although it does not settle the detail of future workforce changes or voluntary reductions.
