FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Care Workers to take strike action 24 & 25 February 2015.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Care Workers to take strike action 24 & 25 February 2015.
UNISON members working for Your Choice Barnet (YCB) have just announced their next strike dates as being 24 & 25 February. This takes place in the middle of the TUC Fair Pay fortnight.
This will make a total of 8 days of strike action since the dispute began. This is in a bid to reverse the harsh 9.5% pay cut imposed on them by their employer.
YCB has not met with UNISON as they have indicated they have nothing new to offer. Barnet Council has failed to become involved in a positive way at all. The Council has clearly been giving preferential treatment to its private contractors with the news of Capita has already received £110 million in the first 16 months of the two contracts. If YCB were to receive this, it would carry on producing a service to the residents on the scale it does for the next 18 years with no pay cut to staff!
The dispute has now reached the ears of House of Commons Early Day Motion 778 http://www.parliament.uk/edm/2014-15/778
This dispute is clearly one of priorities.
UNISON Branch Secretary John Burgess said:
“The driving motivation for our members in this dispute is their fears about what is happening to the quality of services. Low pay in the care sector does not deliver high quality services. It does not appear to work for Capita, we are at a loss as to understand why this would work for care workers in YCB.”
24 & 25 February Picket Line details
1. Flower Lane Day Centre
41 Flower Lane
Barnet
London NW7 2JN
2. Rosa Morrison Day Centre
83 Gloucester Road
Totteridge
Barnet
London EN5 1NA
The start times are 7.30am to 12noon
Notes to Editors.
Contact details: John Burgess Barnet UNISON on 07738389569 or 0208 359 2088 or email: john.burgess@barnetunison.org.uk
Background:
In February 2012 Barnet Council transferred Learning Disability and Physical and Sensory Impairment services for adults to a Local Authority Trading Company (LATC) called Your Choice Barnet (YCB). About 160 staff (145.6 Full Time Equivalents) in Adults services transferred to the LATC.
Following a restructure in 2013 and cuts to pay on shift allowances there are now only about 105 FTE working for YCB a 30% cut in staffing levels.
Links
1. Why UNISON Your Choice Barnet Care Workers are taking strike action.
http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/2015.01.15.%20YCB%20FLYER%20PUBLIC.pdf
2. UNISON Your Choice Barnet Care Workers “9 Point Flyer
3. Support UNISON Your Choice Barnet Care Workers strike action video
4. The Capita £110million payment
http://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s21029/Appendix%20I%20-%20Capita%20Payments.pdf
5. Your Choice Barnet Care worker to give evidence at Commission in House of Commons
5. Your Choice – in built pension burden creates artificial loss to justify pay cut http://lbbspending.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/nochoice.html
6. Sign Petition to Stop the ongoing destruction of services for adults with disabilities in Barnet