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NEU Senior Regional Support Officer
‘Toxic’ cuts sparking attacks on workers

A “TOXIC cocktail” of staff and service cuts was blamed for attacks on public service workers after it was revealed yesterday that the number of violent incidents reported has doubled in the last eight years.

Unison Scottish organiser Dave Watson told his union’s health and safety conference at Stirling University it was “entirely unacceptable” for staff who serve the public to be assaulted for simply doing their job.

Mr Watson said: “The biggest increase in violent incidents is happening in those services that have suffered staffing cuts. Workers are stretched too thinly, dealing with service users who are coping with cuts in the services they rely on.

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