This far and no further for Unison care workers

By Socialist Party Scotland reporters. Posted 14th January 2014

The first day of the 48-hour Glasgow Unison strike among residential care staff has been solidly supported. Unison reported over 70% of it’s members had taken part in the action that saw picket lines at fifteen care homes across the city. Residential staff were taking action for the first time, an indication that the savage cuts to wages and attacks on terms and conditions being demandede by the council had left workers with no choice but to strike.

As Unison steward Maggie Smith commented, “We didn’t want to strike but we’ve been left with no choice. We don’t deserve these cuts to our wages and increased shifts.”

Unsion branch secretary Brian Smith explained “The new shift patterns would mean a wage loss of up to £1,495 per year for 182 staff. We are concerned increasing shifts to 12-and-a-half hours – and reducing staff/resident ratios at night – will undermine the standard of care that we can provide.

“Our residents have complex needs and caring is a demanding job. We must maintain a competent and confident workforce who can give the care our residents deserve.”

Unison had refused to agree to management requests to provide life-and-limb cover, correctly explaining that such were the low staff to client ratios that for the social work managers, life and limb would equate to a normal service. Management had demanded staff sign up to new contracts on inferior terms and conditions for many, or else.

Normally be-suited managers and social work bosses were drafted in to provide cover.

Support came flooding in from scores of Unison branches across Britain, from as far afield as Plymouth to the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Messages of solidarity were also received from, Unite, PCS, NUT, EIS and the Bakers union.

The strike received widespread media coverage – in particular because it involved workers in one of the most sensitive sectors of the council, residential care for the elderly and those with acute needs. (see links below)

Over 60 strikers marched from the Unison offices to the headquarters of the social work management for a lobby and rally. Including a loud megaphone and vuvuzela’s to ensure the bosses and the Labour coucillors got the message.

Ian Leech, Glasgow Unison social work convener, summed up the determination of the union to fight all the cuts: “Yet again we’re back outside the same council offices as we were late last year with the pupil support assistants. This time another group of staff are taking action for the first time. The council think they can pick off our members group by group, cut wages, terms and conditions and increase workloads. Ordinary Unison members have made it clear; this far and no further, enough is enough.”

Picket lines are back on this afternoon and evening, and the strike will go on until 10pm on Wednesday night. There is a Unison mass meeting of strikers tomorrow to discuss the next stage in the dispute.

Send messages of support to enquiries@glasgowcityunison.co.uk