“Is ‘Low pay, poor terms & conditions’ good for social care services in Barnet?”
“Is ‘Low pay, poor terms & conditions’ good for social care services in Barnet?”
In the space of seven days two groups of social care workers are facing yet more attacks on their terms & conditions. Both sets of care workers used to work for Barnet Council.
Your Choice Barnet is the Local Authority Trading Company which took over the Council provision of support services to Adults with a Learning Disability and Adults with a Physical Disability. It is has a massive hole in its budget (£1million+) and predictably is looking to make staff pay for the crisis. This crisis is entirely of London Borough of Barnet’s making as it is the sole owner of the Company and funds £5.3million of the services provided out of a total budget of £5.6million.
The unions have been invited to a meeting this Thursday 30th January morning to be given the news about the benchmarking exercise. Consultation begins that morning and management’s current position is that it will be for 45 days.
Similarly Fremantle ex-Barnet staff are facing a similar cut to their wages. Having lost some 30% on their terms and conditions 2008, the Fremantle Trust is saying they need to take the scythe to their wages some more and cut their wages by an average of 20-25%! If implemented most of Fremantle care staff will be earning below the London Living wage. Even Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, promotes the idea of no Londoners earning below this threshold.
There is a crisis in care and the working conditions of staff in this sector. We want Fremantle and Your Choice Barnet workers to know they can work in this sector and make a living.
UNISON has organised a meeting on Tuesday 4 February at 6 pm at the Greek Cypriot Centre, Britannia Road N12 9RU, North Finchley for all of our members who work for Fremantle & Your Choice Barnet