Rochdale carers to stage three-day strike

Disabled people are facing a weekend of upheaval after their carers voted to go out on strike. Unison say 114 of its members will stage a three-day walk-out in a row over terms and conditions, starting this Saturday.

Future Directions, which employs the staff, has criticised the union for causing ‘unnecessary upset’, adding it had made a fair offer to try to end the dispute.

The company has been contracted by Rochdale council to care for and support disabled adults in their own homes since October last year.

Helen Harrison, Rochdale Unison branch secretary, said some members faced losing £10,000 a year under the proposed changes.

She said: “Our members provide a vital service to vulnerable adults living in the Rochdale borough.

“They do a tough job, and now they are being asked to do it for even less money, on worse terms and conditions.

“Some of our members may lose their homes because of these drastic cuts.

“They care deeply about the services they provide, but have no choice but to take this strike action.”

Future Directions said they had made unions a good offer to try and stave off a strike.

Managing director Paula Braynion said: “We won the contract to employ local people in hard economic times and are extremely disappointed by Unison’s decision, which will cause unnecessary upset to our learning disabled clients in Rochdale.

“We’ve listened and have made the union an offer that’s not just higher than the living wage but also greater than the market rate for this kind of social care.

“We recognise the high value to long-serving staff of local authority and NHS pensions and have protected those employees with them.

“We’re proud to offer all this, as well as bringing jobs and training to Rochdale people.

“Because we are ensuring the very best value for our staff and our service users, we won’t make any money from this contract.”

She added: “Whilst I want to reassure service users and their families that staff will be there for them and the service will continue, it’s bitterly disappointing that the union’s action means some of Rochdale’s most vulnerable people will be forced to miss out on long-planned holiday activities.”

Unison’s strike will run from 8am on Saturday to 8am on Tuesday May 28.