Barnet care workers escalate strike action

Barnet Council care workers protesting against job cuts and a reducation in hours are to strike this week (22nd and 23rd January) and later at the House of Commons on 28th January.

The strike action follows the transfer of the councils Learning Disability and Physical and Sensory Impairment services to a Local Authority Trading Company (LATC) called Your Choice Barnet (YCB).

Although around 160 staff were transferred to the LATC, a major restructure of the service followed. This resulted in cuts to pay on shift allowances leaving 105 FTE working for YCB, a 30% cut in staffing levels.

Conciliatory service ACAS have been involved in brokering a deal between the parties but there has been no movement since October when was a 7.9% pay cut was rejected in a ballot of workers.

One major stumbling block in negotiations is the charging arrangements relating to a service user who fails to turn up to the day service. With YCB having organised staffing based on those service users turning up and many needing 1 to 1 support, the Council is refusing to pay for these ‘no shows’.

UNISON Branch Secretary John Burgess said: “Our members held back from taking action before Christmas in order not to disrupt the service for service users and their carers at such a sensitive time of the year. This demonstrates again their professionalism and dedication but also their determination to stand up to attacks on their terms and conditions.”

The strike brings a total of 6 days of action since the dispute began and it looks like it will take a substantial shift in any new proposals to end the dispute.