Glasgow Day Care workers' Strike enters 8th week

The day care workers are employed in ten centres across Glasgow offering support and care to people with a physical and learning disability. Their day to day work involves supporting a wide range of people, from those with a mild learning disability who need help accessing community resources and employment, to those with complex needs who require a high level of care. They also provide a vital support to families and carers. They carry extensive and complex case loads and are charged with a high degree of responsibility and accountability for all their clients.

What's the Problem?

Following an Equal Pay Review, Glasgow City Council have placed day care workers on a new 'Role Profile', or job description. The workers disagree with the role profile they have been allocated as they feel it neither reflects the range or complexity of the work that they do. As such they are asking to be placed on the next role profile up.

At a recent review the council refused to re-grade the staff - workers responded with an all-out strike. One of the striking workers told Libcom:-

"Strike action isn't an option we have taken lightly. We considered a 'work-to-rule' but were advised that this would leave us open to legal action and dismissal by our employer, leaving us no choice but to strike. What we want is a profile allocation that truly reflects the value, skills, competencies and experience that we bring to the job. We all want to return to work soon and get on with supporting and caring for some of Glasgow's most vulnerable citizens, their families and carers."

Contact details can be found at www.glasgowcityunison.org.uk