PUBLIC service union Unison has written to the education minister Huw Lewis demanding a meeting over what it claims are “unfair” and “disproportionate” cuts to the careers budget resulting in 90 redundancies.

Careers services in Wales were absorbed by Welsh Government last year to form a single Careers Wales company called Careers Choices Dewis Gyrfa.

Unison claimed that in order to be taken under Welsh Government control, the careers budget was slashed by 30 per cent as was a quarter of the workforce.

Jeff Baker, regional organiser for the union said staff who had “made sacrifices” were hoping to move forward this year with a “realistic” budget in order to meet the demands placed on staff by Welsh Government.

But then they were told the budget would be slashed by £3.5 million, as well as this week’s draft budget with a “far more severe” financial cut.

Unison’s Careers Wales trade union official, Neil Parry said it was counter-productive for Welsh Government to promote the careers service as part of economic recovery plans while announcing financial cuts that would lead to redundancies.

The union has said it hopes to meet the minister to put the case that Welsh Government should take “greater accountability” instead of increasing demands on staff.

A Welsh Government spokeswoman said: “By 2015/16, our budget will be £1.5 billion lower in real terms than in 2010/11. The cumulative cuts to our budget means we have had to take difficult decisions to do everything we can to protect the services we all rely on.

“We remain committed to an impartial, independent and bilingual careers information advice and guidance service delivered by Careers Wales.”