More than 100 care staff received £964,537 today (20 July), with help from
UNISON, after Excelcare sacked them and offered them new contracts with a
40 per cent pay cut.
The UKÕs largest public sector union took on the women workersÕ case after
they were transferred to ExcelCare, when Essex County privatised their care
homes.
Excelcare claimed that it had to put in place new contracts for the staff, or
close the homes, as the council had failed to give them the full running costs
of the transfer.
The new contract included worse conditions and a 40% pay cut – a breach of
the Transfer of Undertakings Regulations (TUPE) that protect pay and
conditons.
71 UNISON members and 46 GMB members won settlements ranging from
£1000 to more than £30,000, at the Bury-St-Edmonds employment tribunal.
Ann Vinden, UNISONÕs head of local government for the eastern region, said:
ÒIt is only right that these care workers received compensation for the
shocking way they were treated and dismissed.
ÒExcelcare dragged out the case for four years, but justice has finally been
done.
ÒWe hope that other employers will learn from ExcelcareÕs example and
provide workers with the pay and conditions they deserve.Ó