Care workers in Glasgow City Council’s residential homes started two days of strike action today.
This is the second strike action taken by the city’s care workers in response to a council decision to enforce new job roles, longer shift patterns and pay cuts of up 7%.
“UNISON members have been forced to take further strike action,” says City of Glasgow branch secretary Brian Smith: “The social work management has made no attempt to resolve the dispute.
“The fact is that care homes would not function without the hard work and dedication of our members – to force them into this difficult position is completely unfair and unnecessary.
“Our members are only asking for what is fair: no cuts in pay, properly identified roles and responsibilities of staff, and agreement on any new shift arrangements.”
Glasgow council plans to cut wages of residential home care workers by up to 7% by introducing longer shift patterns.
The move would affect 182 workers out of a workforce of just over 500, with 122 full-time workers on salaries of £20,000-£28,000 facing a loss of £1,495 a year, while 60 part timers face a loss of £794 a year.
The council is also refusing to maintain the wages of any worker who has been in a temporary higher graded post for less than four years.
UNISON views this four-year criterion as unacceptably long.
Glasgow council also wants to alter the job roles of the lowest-paid workers to include the administration of medicines.
UNISON says this is not in their pay grade and is calling for:
- properly identified roles and responsibilities;
- a recognition of the risks associated with any new roles staff are being asked to undertake;
- fair recompense for any new tasks they are being asked to do;
- proper training and support.
