“It’s about time we started looking after those people who look after us.” Rose, a senior practitioner at Lifford Park, a centre for social services and care for people with dementia, was not alone in her anger about how the workforce has been treated.
She was one of the predominantly female picket lines that proudly patrolled every entrance to the site. For the picketers, the attack on their pensions was the final straw.
“Most people work in the public sector out of conviction,” she said. “We accept that the pay is not comparable to the private sector. But a decent pension isn’t too much to ask – and nobody we know has a gold-plated one.”
Maxine, a reviewing officer, said: “We work hard for our money – why should we pay more and get less?”
Home care assistant Yvonne said: “They should start looking after working people. A look at history tells you that a lot of people fought for our rights, and they’re being taken away from us now.”
Samerjit, a social worker, working with adults said: “I put in extra hours, but I’m giving the organisation something they’re not prepared to give me. And with the bankers seemingly let off the hook, I felt I had to come.
“It’s quite scary: we’re not being respected as workers – but we can do this if we stand together!”