Public sector workers face a 'really tough' year because of Scottish Government plans to impose a pay freeze and extract more savings from the public sector, Prospect has warned.

The Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth published the public sector pay remit guidance for 2012-13 yesterday at the same time as he outlined the government's spending review.

The spending review confirmed that yet again the public sector will be required to make cash savings.

Prospect National Secretary Anne Douglas said: "Having exceeded the efficiency target of £1.6bn and been congratulated on saving £2.2bn, workers are being asked to do it all over again.

"Any further efficiencies must impact on what work is carried out. With people leaving, albeit on a voluntary basis, we need to remember the people staying.

"People can work under significant pressure for a short time, but it is neither healthy nor sustainable to expect employees to deliver the same with significantly less resources over the long term. It's time Government told us what it is they don't want to carry on doing."

Prospect expressed disappointment that there will be a further pay freeze for the next financial year, apart from an increase of £250 for those earning under £21,000 a year.

The union cautiously welcomed the commitment to a further year of the No Compulsory Redundancy Guarantee.

See Prospect's news release for more details.