Federal cuts to hit local jobs

Dozens of Nova Scotians have received layoff notices as part of the federal government’s latest round of cuts to the civil service.

About 1,660 federal employees were told their jobs were being considered for elimination yesterday, as the Conservative government makes its last round of budgetary job cuts for 2012.

Cuts in Nova Scotia will come in the innovation and information technology sectors.

Don Rogers with the Public Service Alliance of Canada said this will affect the processing of Employment Insurance claims, Old Age Security, Guaranteed Income Supplements and the Canadian Pension Plan.

“As we lose public service workers inevitably we are losing public services and the ability to provide them,” Rogers told News 1310 in Ottawa. “Any further cuts just go to further the delays we’re already encountering.”

According to the Chronicle Herald, the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada may lose 19 positions in N.S. That includes six jobs Dartmouth, four in Sydney, two each in Halifax and New Glascow, and one each in Bridgewater, Antigonish, North Sydney, Digby, and Truro.

25 RCMP jobs in N.S. are also on the line.

Workers who received a notice Thursday were told that men their jobs are only being considered for elimination. Only some of those who received layoff notices may lose their jobs.

The government maintains the cuts are eliminating duplicate positions and will only effect backroom processing rather than front line services.

Rogers said the government isn’t ruling out more cuts in next year’s budget, but he’s been told this is the final wave for this year.

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