Date: Thu 20 May 2010
Thousands of low paid council workers took a step closer to equal pay today thanks to a landmark decision of the Employment Appeal Tribunal.
While many manual workers, such as cleaners, cooks and carers, have already received compensation, previous decisions of the EAT removed the right to compensation from thousands of administrators, clerical workers, learning assistants and library staff.
In the absence of a proper explanation for the pay differences between women and men, local authorities developed a technical argument that women and men only deserved equal pay if they were based at the same premises, or had the same pay and conditions - this argument has now failed.
UNISON General Secretary, Dave Prentis, said:
“I am delighted that UNISON has opened up this route to justice for so many of our members. There is now no place for employers to run or hide.
“UNISON’s equal pay campaign has defeated every contrived defence their lawyers have hidden behind.
“This charade has gone on too long. We want full compensation for all our members and that money must be paid now.”
One of UNISON’s largest group of winners from the decision are classroom assistants, many of whom earn as little as £10,000 a year.
Elaine North, a UNISON claimant from Dumfries, said:
“I was devastated when the court said I wasn’t entitled to equal pay. My colleagues do one-to-one education work with learning-disabled kids and while we love them it is such hard work.
“No harm to refuse collectors and gardeners, but fair pay is long overdue for us. We’ve worked hard for this.”
Jackie Gilchrist, who chairs the UNISON campaign for Fair Pay, said:
“This is a magnificent decision for us. Our pay has been formally investigated by the EOC and still the employers refuse to recognise the value of our jobs.
“We have gathered so much evidence about the demands of learning support work, but the courts have refused to look at it until now. They’ve got some reading to catch up on, I can tell you.
“There’s only one conclusion to reach at the end – our wages are going up.”
UNISON estimates that this Edinburgh decision will affect up to 70,000 workers across the UK and, while claim values will vary from person to person, some will exceed £30,000
Ends
Notes to editors:
1. With over 40,000 live claims UNISON is the UK’s leading provider of legal assistance on equal pay issues.
2. In the UNISON test case of Dumfries & Galloway Council v North & Others, the EAT in Scotland accepted the employer argument that equal pay claims could only succeed if women and men shared common terms and conditions, or were working at the same premises. Given the way that the work of women and men is segregated this was a major barrier to justice for tens of thousands of women.
3. UNISON is pursuing the same issue for 1,400 women in Edinburgh and, in the Edinburgh appeal decision, Lady Smith of Scotland’s Court of Session and the EAT took the highly unusual step or revisiting and reversing her previous decision.
4. The transcript can be downloaded or read in full at
http://www.employmentappeals.gov.uk/Public/Upload/
UKEATS000209BI(Revised)EDINCCvMsWilkinsonothersFINAL.doc
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Showing posts with label Care workers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Care workers. Show all posts
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Public service cuts threaten safety and care standards - UNISON
Reports from public service workers throughout Scotland indicate that vacancy freezes and lack of absence cover are threatening safety, and reducing the levels of care to vulnerable said the public service union UNISON today.
An email survey of members, undertaken over the last few weeks, for the union's Public Works campaign is showing that this is the main impact of funding cuts over the last two years.
Dave Watson - UNISON's Scottish Organiser, said "It is too early to provide a comprehensive picture of cuts through this survey, but over 50% of respondents identified a vacancy freeze operating in their workplace. As this survey only covers the last two years of cuts, it means that the horrendous future cuts threatened can only directly threaten the safety of both staff and service users.
"Members are highlighting to us the dangers to people in their care, the risk of reduced safety cover, and how backroom staff cuts force staff off the frontline. That is why we are calling a march and rally in Glasgow on April 10 to bring together communities and service deliverers to call on politicians to stop the cuts and to adopt UNISON's alternative budget "
UNISON's email survey of members is still being analysed but key findings have already come to light. Many members have taken the opportunity to identify concerns about how these cuts impact in their workplace.
A number of quotes from anonymous responders follow.
'The weekly food budget for residents of this care home has been reduced from £72 per resident to less than £17' - cook, residential care home
'In this small section, no cover has been provided for one maternity leave and two long term sickness absences...' - member, Environmental Health Section.
'vulnerable adults now get less care hours, and staff no longer have the time to spend on each individuals needs. They are left alone for a greater period of time, hence increasing the risk.' - member, care service
'Admin takes up an inordinate amount of my time. Time better used doing face-to-face work with young people.' - youth worker
Dave Watson said "Politicians shouting for public spending cuts should listen to the voices from the frontline. Services are already stretched to breaking point, the further cuts that some propose will bring service levels far below acceptable levels - either of care, or even of safety."
ENDS
Notes for editors: The survey was taken from a random sample by email through UNISON's membership system and is currently being analysed fully, but of 269 responses, 144 identified a vacancy freeze and 28, no absence cover or overtime. Quotes have been provided under cover of anonymity.
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An email survey of members, undertaken over the last few weeks, for the union's Public Works campaign is showing that this is the main impact of funding cuts over the last two years.
Dave Watson - UNISON's Scottish Organiser, said "It is too early to provide a comprehensive picture of cuts through this survey, but over 50% of respondents identified a vacancy freeze operating in their workplace. As this survey only covers the last two years of cuts, it means that the horrendous future cuts threatened can only directly threaten the safety of both staff and service users.
"Members are highlighting to us the dangers to people in their care, the risk of reduced safety cover, and how backroom staff cuts force staff off the frontline. That is why we are calling a march and rally in Glasgow on April 10 to bring together communities and service deliverers to call on politicians to stop the cuts and to adopt UNISON's alternative budget "
UNISON's email survey of members is still being analysed but key findings have already come to light. Many members have taken the opportunity to identify concerns about how these cuts impact in their workplace.
A number of quotes from anonymous responders follow.
'The weekly food budget for residents of this care home has been reduced from £72 per resident to less than £17' - cook, residential care home
'In this small section, no cover has been provided for one maternity leave and two long term sickness absences...' - member, Environmental Health Section.
'vulnerable adults now get less care hours, and staff no longer have the time to spend on each individuals needs. They are left alone for a greater period of time, hence increasing the risk.' - member, care service
'Admin takes up an inordinate amount of my time. Time better used doing face-to-face work with young people.' - youth worker
Dave Watson said "Politicians shouting for public spending cuts should listen to the voices from the frontline. Services are already stretched to breaking point, the further cuts that some propose will bring service levels far below acceptable levels - either of care, or even of safety."
ENDS
Notes for editors: The survey was taken from a random sample by email through UNISON's membership system and is currently being analysed fully, but of 269 responses, 144 identified a vacancy freeze and 28, no absence cover or overtime. Quotes have been provided under cover of anonymity.
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Saturday, February 13, 2010
98% of city childcare workers threatened and abused
UNISON, the union representing Glasgow’s residential child care staff, today released the results of a survey of their residential childcare members about violence at work over a twelve month period. At the same time, the union at UK level has issued a ten-point plan to address the problem of violence against social work staff.
The survey finds that the vast majority of the city’s residential childcare workers were worried about violence in their job, and they don’t feel that their managers take their concerns seriously.
The survey also found that a majority of workers have been physically assaulted (53%) and threatened with a weapon (51%) in the past year. Almost all workers responding (98%) said that they had suffered threats or verbal abuse.
Andy McCallion, UNISON’s Glasgow branch Residential convenor said: "This survey was organised because our stewards were telling us that the levels of violence were increasing – both in frequency and in extremity. Even we, however, were surprised at the levels of the concern and the frequency of the violence.”
However, the union has found similar problems across the UK, and today issued a ten-point plan* to tackle the issue. Helga Pile, UNISON’s UK Officer for Social workers, said: “There is a chronic problem across the UK with violence and threats against staff working in social care. Threats and assaults contribute to stress, ill-health, sickness absence and high staff turnover. Employers have a responsibility to protect their staff, but sadly, social care has become a high risk job.
“First on the list to tackle this is additional funding from government to tackle violence against social workers and social care staff. Measures to address this should include thorough risk assessments that are revised following any incidents, co-working on visits and redeploying anyone who is threatened or abused whilst the incidents is fully investigated.
“Also vital is a new system to encourage social care staff to come forward and report incidents, and to record them more accurately, as well as improve the way incidents are responded to on a local level.”
In Glasgow, the union also asked their members about attitudes to the violence from their managers, and was concerned to find that 85% of respondents did not feel that management outside the direct workplace took violent incidents seriously enough.
Andy McCallion said "The bald statistic was backed up by many of the comments on the questionnaire. Comments like – ‘we are not being listened too’ or ‘we are the only group of staff where zero tolerance doesn’t count.’. It is time that management started recognising that being verbally abused and threatened on a daily basis is NOT part of the job, that incidents need to be brought out into the open and tackled, and that the placements need to look at all the individual needs of the service user, other service users living in the home, and the resources available.”
UNISON has raised the survey findings in negotiation with management to improve the service to young people in residential units, and to build a safer working environment for our members. The ten point plan will be used both at local level with individual employers, at Scottish level in the joint working group set up with the Scottish Government, the STUC and CoSLA, and directly with employers representative groups.
ends
Note for editors: The survey was carried out during March/April 2009 by sending 286 Questionnaires to members’ home addresses. 55 were received back. Glasgow City Council currently has 17 Children’s Units with 113 young people looked after in them. Copies of the results can be obtained from Chris Bartter (below)
The survey finds that the vast majority of the city’s residential childcare workers were worried about violence in their job, and they don’t feel that their managers take their concerns seriously.
The survey also found that a majority of workers have been physically assaulted (53%) and threatened with a weapon (51%) in the past year. Almost all workers responding (98%) said that they had suffered threats or verbal abuse.
Andy McCallion, UNISON’s Glasgow branch Residential convenor said: "This survey was organised because our stewards were telling us that the levels of violence were increasing – both in frequency and in extremity. Even we, however, were surprised at the levels of the concern and the frequency of the violence.”
However, the union has found similar problems across the UK, and today issued a ten-point plan* to tackle the issue. Helga Pile, UNISON’s UK Officer for Social workers, said: “There is a chronic problem across the UK with violence and threats against staff working in social care. Threats and assaults contribute to stress, ill-health, sickness absence and high staff turnover. Employers have a responsibility to protect their staff, but sadly, social care has become a high risk job.
“First on the list to tackle this is additional funding from government to tackle violence against social workers and social care staff. Measures to address this should include thorough risk assessments that are revised following any incidents, co-working on visits and redeploying anyone who is threatened or abused whilst the incidents is fully investigated.
“Also vital is a new system to encourage social care staff to come forward and report incidents, and to record them more accurately, as well as improve the way incidents are responded to on a local level.”
In Glasgow, the union also asked their members about attitudes to the violence from their managers, and was concerned to find that 85% of respondents did not feel that management outside the direct workplace took violent incidents seriously enough.
Andy McCallion said "The bald statistic was backed up by many of the comments on the questionnaire. Comments like – ‘we are not being listened too’ or ‘we are the only group of staff where zero tolerance doesn’t count.’. It is time that management started recognising that being verbally abused and threatened on a daily basis is NOT part of the job, that incidents need to be brought out into the open and tackled, and that the placements need to look at all the individual needs of the service user, other service users living in the home, and the resources available.”
UNISON has raised the survey findings in negotiation with management to improve the service to young people in residential units, and to build a safer working environment for our members. The ten point plan will be used both at local level with individual employers, at Scottish level in the joint working group set up with the Scottish Government, the STUC and CoSLA, and directly with employers representative groups.
ends
Note for editors: The survey was carried out during March/April 2009 by sending 286 Questionnaires to members’ home addresses. 55 were received back. Glasgow City Council currently has 17 Children’s Units with 113 young people looked after in them. Copies of the results can be obtained from Chris Bartter (below)
Monday, February 8, 2010
Home Carers kicked in teeth by private care company
Date: Mon 8 Feb 2010
UNISON, Scotland’s care workers’ union, today condemned the news that over 300 low paid Home Carers employed by Choices - Care at Home, are to have their contracts of employment ripped up and replaced with “zero hour” contracts, removing any guarantees of how long, or if, they will work in any given period.
Choices Care Workers received letters from the company on 28 January. In them Assistant Director of Operations, Fiona Ford, tells Home Carers that the cut in conditions is due to company difficulties and not enough work from local authorities. The Home Carers, currently paid just 5p above the National Minimum Wage, were shocked at the news and many have contacted UNISON for advice.
Stephen Smellie, Secretary of UNISON in South Lanarkshire, said, “This is an atrocious way to treat a group of dedicated low paid workers who deliver essential services to elderly and disabled people living at home”. UNISON is urging the Home Carers to join the union to fight the company over this and other poor working conditions.
Stephen Smellie said,
“There has been no consultation with anyone over this. Not staff, not UNISON, certainly not service users and not local authorities, were consulted. The company should change their name to “NO Choices Care at Home”.
END
Note to Editors:
Choices bought over the home care company Domiciliary Care Scotland just before the BBC did an expose of DCS’s practices on Panorama last year Local Authorities contract out home care services to companies like Choices because they are cheaper Such companies like Choices Care at Home, already have recruitment and retention issues. The Panorama programme highlighted how poor wages and poor conditions led to a lack of staff and poorer services to service users.
UNISON’s Public works campaign is part of the union’s UK million voices for change campaign. Details at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/publicworks/
UNISON’s Alternative Budget can be found at http://www.unison.org.uk/million/resources/Alternative_Budget.pdf
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UNISON, Scotland’s care workers’ union, today condemned the news that over 300 low paid Home Carers employed by Choices - Care at Home, are to have their contracts of employment ripped up and replaced with “zero hour” contracts, removing any guarantees of how long, or if, they will work in any given period.
Choices Care Workers received letters from the company on 28 January. In them Assistant Director of Operations, Fiona Ford, tells Home Carers that the cut in conditions is due to company difficulties and not enough work from local authorities. The Home Carers, currently paid just 5p above the National Minimum Wage, were shocked at the news and many have contacted UNISON for advice.
Stephen Smellie, Secretary of UNISON in South Lanarkshire, said, “This is an atrocious way to treat a group of dedicated low paid workers who deliver essential services to elderly and disabled people living at home”. UNISON is urging the Home Carers to join the union to fight the company over this and other poor working conditions.
Stephen Smellie said,
“There has been no consultation with anyone over this. Not staff, not UNISON, certainly not service users and not local authorities, were consulted. The company should change their name to “NO Choices Care at Home”.
END
Note to Editors:
Choices bought over the home care company Domiciliary Care Scotland just before the BBC did an expose of DCS’s practices on Panorama last year Local Authorities contract out home care services to companies like Choices because they are cheaper Such companies like Choices Care at Home, already have recruitment and retention issues. The Panorama programme highlighted how poor wages and poor conditions led to a lack of staff and poorer services to service users.
UNISON’s Public works campaign is part of the union’s UK million voices for change campaign. Details at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/publicworks/
UNISON’s Alternative Budget can be found at http://www.unison.org.uk/million/resources/Alternative_Budget.pdf
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