Strike Action To Leave City’s Most Vulnerable Without Critical Cover

Talks between union and Glasgow council leaders yesterday failed to stall an unprecedented strike by key public service workers, which will leave care homes for vulnerable children and the elderly unstaffed. A walkout by up to 10,000 members of public sector union Unison over a pay review will leave the city’s key social care services without “life and limb cover” for three days from Tuesday to Thursday this week.

Mike Kirby, convener of the Unison Glasgow branch, and council leader Steven Purcell discussed issues surrounding the strike yesterday and will meet again tomorrow morning, but action was still imminent last night.

For the first time ever, no Unison staff will cover Glasgow’s residential care homes, which house vulnerable children and the elderly. Previous disputes have seen the union exempt 500 staff from industrial action to deliver critical care, but Kirby yesterday confirmed that only 30 Unison workers would be on hand to cover emergency flood support and legal duties during this week’s action.

Councillor George Ryan, executive member for personnel and administration, said the walkout would play Russian roulette with the lives of the elderly and infirm.

“It is unprecedented for any trades union to withdraw critical cover for some of our most vulnerable citizens and Unison are now displaying a careless disregard for the health and well-being of the people we care for,” he said.

But Kirby claimed that drastic action was necessary to defend wages and conditions under the council’s equal pay review: “It is the council’s responsibility to provide these services with appropriately paid staff. The council is proposing to reduce their annual salaries where they should be providing the same levels to all.”

Council officials have asked NHS Greater Glasgow to provide nursing staff to administer drugs and medicines to older people and are considering opening wards at city hospitals to transfer elderly or infirm care home residents who are most at risk.

Meals will still be provided to residents and the vast majority of home care services will remain unaffected.

Enoch Humphries, vice-chair of the Scottish Pensioners’ Forum, said it was up to council officials to find a resolution to the dispute: “There are a lot of old people in Glasgow who depend on someone to look after them. The fact that there are only 30 exemptions should put the pressure on for a resolution before the strike.”

Up to six out of the city’s 22 residential children’s care homes may be forced to close when critical cover is withdrawn. Children’s charity Who Cares? Scotland said it was still awaiting details of arrangements last night.

The charity’s director, Deirdre Watson, said: “We are deeply concerned at the prospect of a lack of adequate care for some of Glasgow’s most vulnerable children. Their continuing safety and well-being should be of primary importance to everybody. It is alarming, disappointing and unacceptable that this cannot be assured.”

And Patrick Harvie, Green MSP for Glasgow, said: “The people relying on Glasgow City Council’s services will be left in the lurch, while apparently most Unison members didn’t even feel strongly enough to vote in the ballot. However, the ball is clearly in the council’s court, and it’s down to them to break this deadlock.”

Around 16% of the workforce stand to lose up to £10,000 when a scheme to protect their pay expires in 2009. Last week a Unison ballot resulted in a 2-1 vote in favour of strike, from a turnout of just under 50%.

Next week’s walkout is to be followed by selective action by groups affected, including social care, cultural and leisure and land services staff.